


A Bet, Brooms, and a Little Bit (okay a lot) of Magic

by jormaperalta



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Amy and Jake are best friends and quidditch rivals, F/M, Gryffindor!Gina, Gryffindor!Jake, Headmaster Holt, Hogwarts!au, Hufflepuff!Charles, Hufflepuff!Terry, Multi, Ravenclaw!Amy, Slytherin!Rosa, Yuletide ball for some reason, a bet, high school!au, lots of quidditch injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-06-07 00:02:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6775732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jormaperalta/pseuds/jormaperalta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hogwarts students Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago start a bet to see who can get more Quidditch points, and it sets off a chain of events that lead to feelings between them, romantic stylez. Will it blossom into love, or will they both deny their feelings?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Right around the gang’s first year, the tides were turning.

Hogwarts used to be extremely divided between the houses, in a Lysistrata-esque rivalry that was almost worse, because it was four types of people in one place, divided by fundamental personality traits.

But when they entered their first years, the new Headmaster Raymond J. Holt took charge, and no one knew his story. But one thing was made known. No more prejudice. Not because of house placement, or blood status, or family wealth, or sexual orientation, or even more muggle-typical prejudices like gender or race. He made it clear that severe actions would be taken if these lines were crossed. It’s hard to get rid of entrenched hatred overnight, but Headmaster Holt was persistent.

And by the time the gang entered their fourth year, huge strides were taken. Houses now commingled and sat together instead of divided across four long tables. The Slytherin/Gryffindor rivalry was rarely more than playful banter, and muggleborns felt safer on school grounds.

But in this new place of acceptance, a playful rivalry between a half-blooded Gryffindor and a muggleborn Ravenclaw grows. Will it blossom into love, or will they both deny their feelings?


	2. Broken Noses and Broomsticks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What should we do for stakes?” Jake asks their entire group.
> 
> “Your virginities,” They all stare at Rosa incredulously. “I’m sorry, didn’t you want this to be interesting?”

Jake Peralta sits in the infirmary with friend and rival Amy Santiago. It’s right after their first game of Quidditch of the season (he’s star chaser of the Gryffindor team, she’s star keeper of the Ravenclaw team) and they both are waiting to be tended to by Madam Pomfrey.

Amy, in the bed right next to his, is desperately trying to read a parchment about head trauma when she gasps out in discomfort.

“You should probably wait for the concussion cure before you try to read,” Jake says, completely unhelpfully as he holds a towel under his broken nose. Madam Pomfrey was off collecting herbs, so they’ve resorted to muggle health tactics until she gets back. Amy’s a muggleborn, and so she was very useful in telling him which way to tilt his head.

She’s sheepish as she reluctantly sets the parchment down. “I know, it’s just… I don’t like being uninformed.”

He gasps, even though it sounds weird with his nose pinched so blood doesn’t get all over the infirmary beds. “Amy Santiago, Hogwarts’ resident nerd, is _uninformed_ about something? Alert the Quibbler! The Daily Prophet! The Ministry!!”

She glares at him, then winces with the effort. “I’ve been mostly thinking about wizarding things for the past four years, Peralta. I’ve forgotten the more mundane muggle minutiae.” She justifies herself.

Jake keeps grinning. “Excuses, excuses. I’m _horrendously_ disappointed. Imagine what Headmaster Holt would say-”

She freezes at the mention . “Don’t even joke about that.”

He laughs, and that’s when Madam Pomfrey is lead by Charles Boyle (his best friend) and Rosa Diaz (Amy's best friend, if Rosa believed in that sort of thing) into the infirmary.

Charles Boyle is a Hufflepuff, and has been Jake’s best friend since they were both accidentally late to the same class their first year and were punished simultaneously.

Jake’s not entirely certain of the story between the Slytherin badass and the Ravenclaw nerd, but for his imagination’s sake, he hopes it’s a little sexy.

“What happened to you two?” Madam Pomfrey says in a way that’s both caring and reproachful as she starts gathering things.

“Is Jake gonna die?” Charles starts to panic and hyperventilate. “That’s a lot of blood-”

“Don’t faint or I’ll make you faint,” Rosa says in the same bland tone she’d use if she was talking about the weather. Charles goes rigid and holds his breath. “Breathe, you idiot!”

Amy clears her throat and speaks up, directing the attention to where it’s supposed to be seamlessly. “Madam Pomfrey, Peralta went for the quaffle a bit too enthusiastically and knocked us both into the goal post,” She then summarizes, “I’m fairly certain I have a concussion, and Jake’s nose is bleeding heavily.”

(Longer version: It was the match point 120-120 and neither seeker had the snitch, but the quaffle was hit too off course by a Gryffindor member and Jake overcompensated to get it before a Ravenclaw, smacking into Amy. Which in turn smacked her head into the goal post. Then, when he went to catch her from falling off her broom, she flailed a hand out and punched him in the face. She says it was an accident. He doesn’t believe her completely.)

“Less so than before, Madam Pomfrey,” Jake chimes in about the blood, not bothering to tattle on Amy because he deserved the punch.

“That’s good at least. I have a potion for that,” She points to Amy. “And a quick little spell for that.” She points to Jake.

“To get rid of his dumbassery?” Rosa says, arms crossed. She’s donning a Ravenclaw pin to support Amy for the big game, but everything about her shouts pure Slytherin.

“I’m an injured party, Diaz. Show a little respect.” Jake holds his free hand to his heart. Rosa doesn’t spare him another glance.

“You two,” Madam Pomfrey wheels on Rosa and Charles. “You can wait outside. I need to work my magic in here and can’t have you fuss.”

“I don’t fuss-” Charles protests but Rosa just sends him a look and drags him out.

+

After they’re all healed up, Jake and Amy figure their friends are waiting for them in the dining hall and walk back together. Mostly in silence. Until Jake breaks it.

“Sorry for smacking into you,” He says, sincerely, as they near the doors.

“It’s okay. And I’m sorry for punching you in the nose,” Amy says, just as sincerely, but with a glint of mischief in her eye.

He gasps out of a laugh. “I _knew_ it wasn’t an accident! You hag!”

Amy just laughs as they walk back in. True to history, their friends are eating food at the table that was originally just for Hufflepuffs. Now each table has students of every house. But, most importantly, the Hufflepuff table has their friends.

Rosa and Charles spot them, and their entire group starts a cheering section in the entire hall for “the injured young Quidditch greats!” It soon spreads to the rest of the giant hall, to the rolling eyes of their professors. Except for Professors Hitchcock and Scully, who joined in.

Jake beams under the praise, while Amy seems to be both shrinking away and reveling in it, in true Amy Santiago fashion.

They sit down with Charles, Rosa, and their other friends: Gina Linetti and Terry Jeffords.

Gina is one of Jake’s childhood friends. She’s a muggleborn, but they both told each other at the same time when they found out. Luckily for them, since they’re both wizards they didn’t get in trouble. She’s also a Gryffindor, and they’ve been through thick and thin together.

Terry Jeffords is the best Hufflepuff ever. He’s 200 pounds of solid muscle, but he spends his times learning potions and tending to herbs and his girlfriend. He’s a fifth-year, but he still hangs out with them.

“Nice punch, Santiago,” Terry says as a greeting, eating berries from a never-ending bowl as they sit down.

“I know,” Jake interrupts, tapping his now-healed nose.

“You’re all just lucky he cleaned himself.” Amy says, then flicks her eyes over playfully. “For once.”

The group laughs. When it dies down, it’s time to get down to business. “More importantly, who won?” Amy and Jake ask at the same time.

Rosa swallows a bite of her chicken drumstick. They’ve also worked on incorporating more muggle foods into the culinary rotation, to Charles’s sheer chagrin (“what about the wizard fungus, Jake?? WHAT ABOUT THE WIZARD FUNGUS?!”). “No one. The captains declared a tie.”

“Technically, you both won-” Terry starts to say, but Gina interrupts.

“No, Rosa’s right. Both of you are losers.” She continues scribbling a note. Normally, she’d text it on her muggle phone, but her mom refused to let her pack one for her fourth year at Hogwarts. She’s in the process of getting a burner.

Jake scoffs and slumps down. “I can’t believe they called it a tie.”

“I know, right?” Amy sighs. “Just before we were about to win.

Jake chokes on a laugh, “You’re kidding, right, Santiago? _We_ were about to crush _you_.”

“Not likely, Peralta-”

“Not this again,” Terry grumbles. “Terry hates their bickering.”

“I love it,” Charles sighs romantically as Jake and Amy keep comparing their metaphorical Quidditch badges of honors. “It’s the only way for their sexual tension to seep through-”

Somehow, both Jake and Amy hear that. “No!” “Merlin’s _beard_ , Charles!”

“Hey, that worked,” Rosa says, vaguely interested. “I love learning ways to get them to shut up.”

“Not that way please,” Amy scrunches her nose.

“I wouldn’t have to worry about if you two would shut up about who’s better,” Rosa rolls her eyes violently. “Like, either prove it or shut the fuck up.”

“Language, Diaz.”

“You’re not a prefect yet, Jeffords.”

“We _can_ prove it!” Jake shouts in the middle of the dining hall. Everyone’s heads whip over, and he just dismisses them and looks back within his friend group, keeping his voice down. “Santiago, what do you say to a little bet?”

Something wicked flashes in her eyes, and he finds himself oddly a little scared even though he literally just suggested it. “What are the terms?”

“It’s only for you and me, not the other team members,” He clarifies. “Every time I score a point on you, I get an point or tally or whatever. Every time you block one from me, you get a point. Just when it’s you against me on the pitch. Whoever gets more points by the end of the season wins.”

“Who keeps track?”

“Charles.”

“He’s biased as hell towards you.” Amy immediately vetoes that.

“Fine. Terry?”

“Terry doesn’t want any part of this,” Terry says on behalf of himself.

“Aw, come on, Terry!” Jake whines.

Amy tries a different tactic. “I thought you wanted more time to watch Sharon play,” Sharon, Terry’s girlfriend of two years, was also a Ravenclaw, but she’s a beater. In fact, she’s one of the first female Ravenclaw beaters in decades.

“True… Okay, I’ll go to the games and keep tally. But I want no other involvement.”

“Deal,” Amy and Jake say at the same time, then turn back to each other.

“What are the stakes?” Amy asks, biting into a dragon fruit.

Jake hadn’t thought that far, and admits that. “No clue. But it needs to be interesting. _Damn_ interesting. What should we do for stakes?” He asks their entire group.

“Your virginities,” They all stare at Rosa incredulously. “I’m sorry, didn’t you want this to be interesting?”

Everyone else ignores that, but Jake _has_ to speak on it. “Literally anything else,” He says, smiling again because this is a great conversation.

“What about your broom?” Amy says, idea dawning on her.

“What about it?”

“I get it.”

“Like for a week?”

“Like forever.”

Jake gasps at her, truly taken aback. “Amy Middle-Name-Forgotten Santiago,” Amy rolls her eyes at his dramatics and the fact he forgot her middle name. “That’s my most prized possession!”

“I thought you said ‘damn interesting,’ Peralta.” Amy makes a pitying face. “Unless you’re too afraid.”

Jake takes the bait, dammit. “Fine, you get my broomstick. My Nimbus 3000. I hate you so much a little bit.” He says to her resolutely, then turns back to their friends. “Now I need something _good_ you guys. Think!”

“Make her ride a dragon,” Charles blurts.

“That’s not interesting, that’s dangerous!” Amy practically squeaks.

“Make her get banned from the library for life,” Gina says, filing her nails with her wand.

Jake gasps, that sounds purely evil. But when he sees the pure sadness on her face, he shakes his head. “Nah, that would mess with her schooling. And we all know Santiago would have a muggle heart attack.”

Amy rolls her eyes slightly, but she does shoot him a small smile.

“Doesn’t the Springtime Flowers Ball line up with the final Quidditch match?” Rosa says after being too cool to participate.

Everyone looks to Amy, the wizard-human calendar. “Yes it does. It’s the week after it in March, right before spring holiday-”

“We don’t need an encyclopedia answer, pudding scoop,” Gina says in her way.

Amy stops talking.

“Make Amy be your date to the dance,” Rosa says simply.

Amy and Jake laugh, for different reasons. “How is that a punishment?” He seems genuinely confused.

Gina gets on board though and claps excitedly. “Ooh! Ooh! You can pick her wardrobe and all the activities and make her dance and make it truly awful-”

“Oh no,” Amy says, but she doesn’t look as distraught when she did when she found out she wouldn’t have her library.

“That sounds more than fair, Santiago,” Jake says enticingly. “One horrible, _horrible_ night with me or you get a lifetime with my amazing broomstick, pun intended.” They all groan at him. “Or are you too… chicken?”

Yeah he knows muggle phrases.

Amy takes the bait. “Fine, deal.”

And with that, they shake on it.


	3. Art of Quidditch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t get too cocky, Peralta,” She warns him, “You know what they say about arrogance.”
> 
> “If it’s a muggle saying, probably not.”

A week after the bet was made, Amy Santiago is in the library after her Divination course, trying to get a head start on next month’s readings. She’s set up at her favorite table with books in stacks around her organized by importance then by author last name as she takes notes with a pencil from home because she does _not_ get the whole quill thing. Pencils are so much more efficient! They have erasers!

In just two days, there’s the first Gryffindor/Ravenclaw game since the bet. Ravenclaws have played games since the intro game, just not against the Gryffindor house. And she’s antsy for the first after the bet.

Suddenly, she feels a presence behind her. She would never delude herself into thinking she had any psychic powers (because _that_ would be ridiculous, after discovering she was the first witch in her family ever) but it feels oddly familiar.

“Boo,” A friendly voice whispers in her ear.

She’s glad she trusted that feeling, because she doesn’t jump or make a fool of herself in her favorite place. She would hate to make a commotion in the library.

“Hey Peralta.”

“Dammit, I thought I was so sneaky,” Jake Peralta, close friend and pain in the ass, easily slides into the chair next to her.

“Subtlety isn’t a strong suit of yours,” She looks up quickly to give him a grin to hopefully soften the blow. He smiles back at her. Blow softened. She looks back down at her notes.

“So what are you doing here?” Jake asks, tapping his fingers on the table. She’d find it irritating if she weren’t used to the fact he can’t keep still.

“Studying.”

“For what?”

“Divination.”

Jake quickly peruses her stacks of books and grabs one. She goes to get it back (she had it all organized!) but then Jake holds up which one he nabbed.

“Sun Tzu’s _Art of Quidditch_?” He raises a suspicious eyebrow.

Amy barely loses her resolve as she tries to save herself. “For my Quidditch… class?”

He smirks at her, “Nice try, Santiago. You can’t lie worth dragon shit.”

“I read it during my study break,” She snatches it back from him, places it in its proper spot, and tries to focus on her schoolwork.

“So to give yourself a break from learning about divination, you study ancient Quidditch strategies?” He clarifies, amusement and disbelief dripping from his tone.

“Yes,” She says, sin irony, mostly paying attention to her notes.

Jake seems to mutter something but she ignores that since it’s probably disparaging. Then he speaks up, “How did your team react to the bet?”

“Favorably,” She says, keeping it lowkey. In all honesty, they were stoked. Amy’s competitive streak is only rivaled by Jake’s, and everyone knows it. Talent aside, no one gets as fired up as they do. Gryffindors and Ravenclaws weren’t always known for the sports rivalries against each other. When the House rivalries were super intense, it was mostly Gryffindor vs Slytherin. But now it’s become Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw. Jake and Amy would _hate_ to take the credit, but it’s basically their fault.

She trusts her team like she’d trust her friends or family. When she told them about the bet, they were completely supportive, and promised to do whatever they could to help. It’s so different than her first year, or what she was afraid of what she had read up about Hogwarts history and about how people treated muggleborns.

But now it’s so much better. She loves it, and Headmaster Holt for starting it.

“What about the Gryffindors?” Amy asks, looking up from her notes to study his answer.

Jake shrugs one shoulder, twisted in his seat so he’s more facing her than he is the actual table. “They’re pretty pumped about it. You’re the best keeper in the school, everyone knows that.”

Amy wasn’t expecting that, “Jake-“

“So it’ll just make the victory all the more sweet when I beat your ass.”

Amy sighs. There it is.

“Don’t get too cocky, Peralta,” She warns him, “You know what they say about arrogance.”

“If it’s a muggle saying, probably not.”

Despite everything, she smiles at that. “Didn’t your mom teach you anything about the muggle world?” She remembers practically everything, but almost everyone at their school knows that Jake is the son of a pureblood father and a muggleborn mother, so he must have known _some_ muggle things while growing up.

Something in Jake’s demeanor falls, and she instantly feels bad. She goes to rescind the question but Jake speaks up, “Nah, she fell into the wizarding world pretty hard when she and my dad got together, so she packed up with him in Wizard New York for while. But he left when I was seven... And Gina’s mom as a single mom too, so they moved us into an apartment in Muggle Manchester, but then I got my Hogwarts letter a couple years later, and so had Gina, so we all relocated to Wizard London, where my mom is from originally.”

“That’s so sweet.” Amy says, then when Jake looks at her oddly she amends, “I mean the fact that you and Gina and your mom and Mrs. Linetti had each other. I-“ Well if he can be honest, so can she. “I wish I had a wizard friend who knew what was going on before I came here.”

He nods at that, and doesn’t try to speak onto it. Then he says, “Is _The Art of Quidditch_ any good?”

With that, she closes her Divinations book resolutely. “I guess you’ll just have to see.”

+

The Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor game is tied 50-50, but Amy doesn’t give a damn where the snitch is. She only has eyes on Peralta.

He’s scored twice, and she’s blocked four times out of six shots. So, basically, all that matters is that she’s winning.

The instant she sees him near the quaffle, she tells Sharon or the other beater Ramon and one of them whips a bludger his way. Her team wants to beat the cocky Gryffindors, and especially take down Peralta the Wonder Kid, so they’re doing what they can to smack the quaffle out of Jake’s way.

Unfortunately, the Gryffindor’s have a similar yet completely opposite tactic. A lot of them would love to see Amy taken down as a Ravenclaw jock (which used to be an oxymoron until her first year). Probably not in a mean-spirited way, but at least in an intensely competitive way.

The opposing team work their hardest to get the quaffle in Jake’s hand so he can score a goal, and try to distract her so he can do it.

The game is intense as hell, and Amy hasn’t been this physically anxious to her stomach since her first game when she was a second-year. She’s sweaty and nervous and her stomach hurts, and she’s practically bitten through her lip she’s so tense. It makes her feel slightly better seeing Jake looks nervous too.

Suddenly, there’s a loud victory cry from the Gryffindor seeker as they catch the snitch. She’s actually kind of relieved, because now the game is over and she’s ahead by two.

When she exits the changing rooms, Jake is leaning on the wall right outside the door, looking casual. “So, we won,” He says, grinning.

She just nods and keeps walking, “Yep.”

He scrambles to keep up. “Shouldn’t you be freaking out?”

“There are plenty of games,” She says, then looks over at him, “But I have a two point lead for our little bet.”

Jake splutters and crosses his arms. “Well, we’ll see what Terry says.”

And when Terry corroborates that point difference, Jake swears a Wizard Swear _very loudly_ in the middle of the mess hall.

While Amy just watches gleefully.

+

The next month of games are some of the hardest of Amy’s Quidditch career, and also just in Hogwarts in general.

She’s not sure how, but the intra-Hogwarts rivalry seems to return with the reveal of her bet with Peralta. It starts with the people in their respective houses joining in on the fun, and shouting about it during the matches. And that’s fine.

But then the other houses get involved.

Slytherins support Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuffs support Gryffindor (she’s not 100% sure if that’s because of Rosa’s and Charles’s own biases towards the people of the original bet or because of something else entirely). And not a day goes by where someone in either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor colors that someone will say “CHOKE” or “better watch the posts, Santiago” or ruder things to that effect. One time someone tried to sneak a potion on her right before her game, but Rosa apparently tossed their wand (and the student) in the lake.

Thank God for Rosa.

Speaking of, another way the bet and its descent into insanity start to mess with her is the way it ruins their group’s friendship dynamic. At first, it was just playful competitive banter like it always has been. But something shifts when more people get involved and more of their life becomes focused on by others.

It comes to a head when Jake says something playful yet harsh to her a few hours before a game and everyone laughs at her, she says something a bit too harsh that she'd prefer not to think about. And she immediately regrets it, but all the Slytherins revel in it, and everyone laughs at _Jake_.

He stops sitting with their group at lunch, and Charles and Gina of course follow him to the group of Gryffindor Quidditch players. Rosa and Terry stick with her as they’re surrounded by Ravenclaw supporters, but she’s kind of sad that the fact Terry’s probably staying is because Sharon sticks around for Ravenclaw solidarity, even though Terry’s a Hufflepuff.

The games themselves have practically dissolved into a war strategy zone, rather than a fun school sport. At first, Amy _liked_ that. She could _study_ for that.

But this is ridiculous. Each game against the Gryffindors ends intensely but with low scores because they’re all too busy trying to out-clever the other.

Technically, _Hufflepuff_ has a higher score average than they do. She technically shouldn’t be offended by that because of all the strides Headmaster Holt made to stop such thoughts, but _Charles_ is the seeker on that team, and he has the maneuvering instincts of a sloth. (And she would have said that before the rivalry drove them apart.)

Their scores for their bet are usually neck and neck, with him either up by one or two or her up by one or two. The sport has stopped being fun. It’s now about destroying the Gryffindors (and Jake’s chances at scoring on her). And that’s been harsh, because she likes the Gryffindors. Some more than others, but still.

And she misses Jake. She didn’t realize it, but he kind of helped with her stress levels. Whenever she prepared for tests and homework, she could always count on him to ask for help because he didn’t pay attention to the actual professors. But that helped her because it gave her a chance to explain whatever the topic was, getting her to understand it more clearly.

Plus (and she’d never tell him this to his face), he makes her laugh. And her life is certainly more dull without his jokes. Rosa and Terry are funny (in their own, completely different ways) but she misses Jake’s humor.

It’s the last Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor game of the month of November, and Amy is just tired, even now right before the match starts. She’s sick of the stupid bet and she misses her friends and she’s so tired of feeling like she needs to watch her back.

According to Terry’s (forced) Dinner Bet-Score Update just a couple hours before, the score is 35-33 with Jake in the lead. And normally this would be just the thing to fire Amy up and get her to take back the lead, but instead she feels bone-tired.

The balls are released, and Amy guards the goal posts with her own distinct precision, but notices that one of the bludgers seems to head right for her.

“Sharon!” She calls out, and Sharon manages to zoom over and knock it out of the way (and into one of the chasers of Gryffindor).

That’s good then. Maybe?

With that out of her mind, Amy’s able to block Jake’s quaffle from entering the lowest goal post, and send it over to Aaron, a sixth-year chaser on her team. 35-34 now.

This invigorates her slightly, and she’s able to dodge another quaffle toss, but this was by the chaser that Sharon just hit.

With that, the quaffle gets sent over to the Gryffindor goal posts, and everyone but her shifts over there for offensive and defensive (depending on the team, obviously) reasons.

So why is that bludger heading her way?

She panics, and realizes it might be hexed.

And she doesn’t have a beater’s bat.

“Sharon-!” Amy shouts as she tries to move, but can’t because she’s smashed in the chest with 150 pounds of bludger iron.

The force of the impact knocks her through the goal post, and she falls off her broom.

The last thing she hears is a terrified gasp from the spectators in the crowd before she hits the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops thats intense. Hope you guys are liking this so far!


	4. Bludger to the Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh my god,” Amy says under her breath in awe. Then hisses to him, “Peralta, stand in respect.”
> 
> “Why don’t you do it?” He says automatically.
> 
> She seems to bicker back in the same way, “I’m *bedridden*-”

Jake’s whole body goes rigid when he hears a body hit the ground. And when he looks over and sees that Amy’s no longer flying by the goal posts, dread runs through his body instead of blood.

Everyone in the stands is already freaking out, and Madam Hooch, the referee, calls for a break in the game. She starts to head over, but she’s at the other side of the pitch.

But even before that, Jake takes his broom and practically swan-dives to the ground, assuring he gets there before everyone else.

He didn’t have a clear visual on her before, but he does as he practically stumbles off his broom onto the grass. There’s a bludger on her torso and he can her shaky breathing as she struggles to both breathe and stay awake.

“Amy!” He says, more desperately than he’d like to admit. He’s not that strong of a guy, but he manages to pull the bludger off her without rolling it or dropping it on any other parts of her body. Thank god it stays still.

Even then, she’s wheezing and choking. “Jake, I-”

“Amy, don’t speak-” And he cuts himself off when he realizes how stupidly fucking dramatic he sounds. Like he’s in one of those muggle soap operas that Gina makes him watch when they’re home from Hogwarts.

He grabs his wand from his ankle (he always has it with him) and says, “ _Anapneo._ ” It cures choking, but that’s the only spell he can think of.

She grabs at his hand and squeezes weakly and he’s pretty sure his heart hurts (is that possible?) “Jake.” She says resolutely, even though it’s marred by her breathlessness that’s actually a bit better after the spell. “I’m sorry.”

Jake can’t help but move some of the sweaty hair out of her face with his free hand. “I’m sorry, too, Ames, but _please_ don’t try to speak, we don’t know what’s wrong-”

“Is she alright?” Hooch asks, running over.

“The fuck does it look like?” Rosa asks, harshly, appearing out of nowhere. “She took a bloody bludger to the tits!”

Amy’s whole body shivers beneath him, and her grip goes slightly lax. Is she going into shock? “Amy-” He tries to get her attention but he’s interrupted.

“No foul language, Diaz,” Hooch starts to say but then Diaz speaks over her lethally.

Rosa glares daggers at Hooch, “Why are you worrying about my swearing when you should be worrying about fixing Amy.”

The rest of the team and their friends start surrounding them. “Back up!” Jake snaps, “Give her some breathing room.”

Everyone listens to him as a gurney levitating lead by Pomfrey appears. “Oh my, a bludger to the heart.” She tuts as she takes in the scene.

“To the _ribcage_ ,” Jake corrects nervously. He doesn’t even want to think about what happened if the bludger hit her heart.

“I can’t fix this here,” She says, and he’s not really sure to who she means to say it to, but then she flicks a wand, muttering a spell, and Amy’s lifted and placed on the stretcher without adjusting any part of her form. “Feel free to resume your game.”

And with that, Amy and Pomfrey are gone.

+

Jake, Rosa, Charles, Terry, Gina and the rest of their teams (and some supporters) are standing outside the door to the infirmary. It’s mostly respectfully silent, but Jake also figures everyone’s too afraid to speak.

“Do they know who hexed the bludger?” Terry asks, the bravest Hufflepuff ever.

Rosa nods tersely. “Some sixth-year with a problem against muggleborns.”

Gina leans close to them all but says loudly, “I hear they’re taking him to the _Ministry_.”

“They should,” Jake says, scowling. Everyone looks at him, in varying degrees of shock and confusion. “They should!” He maintains, without actually explaining why.

That’s when the door opens, and Pomfrey steps out, shutting the door behind her. There are a lot of different liquids (is that blood?) on her apron. “So that was a very grueling procedure, Quidditch should be banned,” She says by ways of a greeting. No one justifies that outlandish accusation with a response.

“Is she okay?” Rosa asks. Actually, demands.

“Miss Santiago’s ribs were fractured inwards, and she had a major concussion but she is physically all healed up. But due to everything, I’m recommending she stay overnight and take in some bedrest, since she seemed to show signs of fatigue. Because of this, only one visitor tonight. Which one of you would like to see her?” She looks to them all.

Everyone looks at Jake, but he says, “Rosa should do it.”

Rosa crosses her arms. “Don’t be a fuckass, Peralta. Go in, or I’ll kick you in.”

“Got it. All clear,” And with that, Jake enters the infirmary. Alone.

Amy is lying down on one of the cots near the middle on the left, and she looks oddly tiny and frail, even though he’s a person who knows firsthand how strong she is. She looks up and sees him and grins. “Hey, Jake.” Her voice sounds a bit raspy, but she sounds less breathless (more breathful?) than she did before.

“Hey, Amy. You doing alright?” He asks and sits on the bed that's next to hers.

“Better than before,” She says, but says it with a smile. “I- I don’t remember if I said it before, but I’m sorry. For everything with this stupid bet and what I said-”

“I’m sorry too. And you’re forgiven, obviously.” Jake smiles at her reassuringly. “We’re okay?”

“Yeah, we’re okay.”

Jake goes to say something (probably something ridiculous) but then the doors open again. Jake starts to tell the person to give Amy some privacy if they seem hostile, but he’s genuinely floored when he sees Headmaster Holt walk in, regal as ever.

“Oh my god,” Amy says under her breath in awe. Then hisses to him, “Peralta, stand in respect.”

“Why don’t you do it?” He says automatically.

She seems to bicker back in the same way, “I’m _bedridden_ -”

“No please, keep your seats,” Holt says in his deep voice. “I understand you were injured during the sporting match, Ms. Santiago. My condolences. ‘Tis a shame, I’ve seen you’re a great player.”

“Thank you, Headmaster,” She practically squeaks then goes silent.

“I’m to understand that you two were behind the bet that started this little... shall we say, ‘foray into chaos’?” He verifies, speaking to them both now.

Jake’s confused. “You know about that-”

“I know about everything, Mr. Peralta,” Holt says, eyes glancing over at him. “I make it a point to hear about things that take place on my campus. Especially ones that end with a student getting injured by a hexed bludger.”

“It was just supposed to be a fun bet, sir,” Jake says, probably with the most respect he’s ever had for any authority figure. But he’s doing this for Amy, because if she gets in trouble, he wouldn’t forgive himself. “We weren’t trying to... foray into chaos.”

“We didn’t mean to undo all the work you’ve done, sir.” Amy adds.

Holt studies them. “I believe you. But this rivalry ends here. I’ve worked hard to get this school into a state of tolerance, and I know you two meant well, but unfortunately this was a setback.”

Amy visibly winces.

“I am aware you two are very bright students, along with being very gifted Quidditch players. I have the utmost faith that you two can resolve this matter quickly.” He nods at them both then turns back to Amy, “And I hope your recovery was simple.”

“It was sir, thank you. And we promise to fix it, fix everything,” Amy says with passion, and Jake smiles to himself because he missed that.

“I’m sure you will. Good night.” And with that, the Headmaster is gone.

The infirmary is filled with silence, until Jake breaks it. “ _Was_ your recovery simple?”

Amy scrunches her nose. “No. It involved drinking a lot of disgusting potions along with rubbing some weird salve that smelled _horrible_ on my chest.”

Jake is silent, because she deserves better than some shitty joke, but then Amy sighs and keeps talking. “You know what this means, right?”

He purses his lips slightly and nods, looking back up at her. “Yep.”

+

Jake exits the infirmary, keeping the door slightly ajar. There are still a fair amount people standing around, but mostly it’s just their friends. Luckily, Gina is there. He can trust her to spread information.

“So Amy’s okay, speedily recovering. We talked about everything, and we decided...” Jake sighs dramatically. “That the bet is off.”

Lots of people groan in complaint, but he cuts them off. “This went too far you guys, and Amy and I agreed that we want things to go back to how they were. No more rivalry bullshit. We’re one school, not four houses. Got it?”

No one verbally agrees or disagrees, so he takes that as a yes.

“Rosa, you wanna go in instead?” He offers.

“I’ll check in on her tomorrow,” Rosa says. “I have an essay. Tell her I say 'hey',” Then she leaves. The rest of their friends say similar stuff, so Jake heads back into the infirmary alone.

“Our friends wish you the best, and Charles said he’d get you a fried werewolf spider smoothie as an apology, but I told him that you can’t eat eccentric food after taking your potions,” Jake says as he sits down at the edge of her bed this time.

“You’re a lifesaver,” She smiles at him. “So, they believed you?”

“Yep. And I even saw some groups break off in inter-house friendships.”

“Beautiful.” She says, smiling wickedly.

“Truly inspirational,” He smiles back. “But the bet’s still on, right?”

“Oh obviously,” She says, then pauses thoughtfully. “But just between us."

“Oh obviously,” Jake says in a mocking but sincere way. “Who will keep track though? Because I doubt Terry will participate, much less secretly.”

“I trust you to keep the score honest.”

Jake looks up and sees that trust in her eyes, because Amy has no poker face. “I trust me too.”

She rolls her eyes and Jake laughs and says, “Fine, fine, I trust you too.”

“So it’s back on?" She checks. "Once I get out of this stupid room?”

“Oh... _obviously_.”

+

The next morning, Jake walks back down to the infirmary (Pomfrey refused to let him stay the night since he wasn’t injured, even though Amy looked uncomfortable about staying all alone.) When he gets there, the door is opened a bit so he just goes in.

Amy is surrounded by Rosa, Charles, Terry, Sharon, and Gina, and they’re all laughing about something, but then Rosa sees him.

“Nice job finally joining us, Peralta,” Rosa says, a slight smirk on her face.

“It’s early,” Jake says in defense of himself. He looks to the giant ticking clock against the wall. “Jesus, it’s barely 8. On a _Saturday_ , no less. Normally, I’m legally dead.”

They all react just as he expects to his dramatics (Rosa: stone cold stare. Gina: texting on her burner phone. Terry: paternal grimace. Sharon: amused smirk. Charles: awe and wonder. Amy: eye roll and reluctant smile).

He ignores the crowd for the time being and focuses on Amy, squeezing his way through the group to get a better look at her.

She seems a bit paler than normal, but better than yesterday. She has bags under her eyes, but the eyes look bright and warm, like normal. He feels a bit better, but he still says, “You feeling better, Santiago?”

Amy starts to say “Fine” but then Gina speaks without looking up from her phone, “She up-chupskied twice in the middle of the night, according to the Poms.”

Jake gives her a concerned look (he’s fairly certain that’s Gina-speak for vomited), and Amy huffs. “It was all the smells in here! I’m genuinely fine. Fit as a fiddle, right as rain, and all that jazz,” She rambles.

“Is speaking in muggle idioms a symptom of potions?” Sharon asks, still amused.

“No, that’s just Amy.” Rosa says.

Jake re-focuses on Amy. “But _are_ you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Amy says, crossing her arms. “I just want to get out of this stupid room.”

“How could you hate this place?” Terry asks, completely serious. “This is probably one of the safest rooms in Hogwarts.”

“What about the basement?” Charles says.

“Or the Room of Requirement,” Jake says. It’s only a rumor, but still.

“Or Headmaster Holt’s office,” Amy adds.

“Or all the tunnels for wizard secrets,” Gina says.

“Or where Professors Hitchcock and Scully kept that three-headed dog,” Sharon plays along.

“Or where they keep Filch’s soul,” Rosa continues, smirking slightly.

And they all laugh, and Jake smiles to himself. Goddamn, he missed them being together. And while it’s under slightly horrible circumstances (he’d never wish for Amy to get hurt), he’s glad they’re back.


	5. Bed Rest and Muggle Movies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A.S.
> 
> Hope Peralta is at least being somewhat interesting. If not, I can kick his ass.
> 
> R.D.

Amy’s not allowed to play in that night’s Ravenclaw vs Slytherin game, even though she feels fine and breathes even better than she did before the accident. But Madam Pomfrey forbid her due to some of the side effects of Skele-Gro and similar potions she had to take, and no one wants to piss off Pomfrey and let her sneak out. And she thought they were her friends. Sigh. (Not that she doesn't understand rule-following, because she totally does, but she just loves quidditch games.)

Everyone’s at the game to show their support, but Amy’s bored all alone in her Ravenclaw dormitory. Even though it’s only been ten minutes since everyone took off. She’s trying to study, but she actually finds herself _not interested_.

Maybe some of the potions _did_ mess with her...

She hears the tell-tale creaky door to Ravenclaw open, and she automatically grabs for her wand. Everyone’s supposed to be showing their newfound support for all the houses at the game tonight, and after being hexed, she’s a bit nervous because she can’t think of a single person who’d ditch-

Jake walks in, making a bag of stuff levitate behind him and follow him. “Hey, Santiago!” He greets cheerfully. “How’s isolation treating you?”

Amy exhales, relieved, and puts her wand down. “Jake? What are you doing? How did you get in?”

“I’m smart sometimes, I know riddles. And I figured you were bored,” He says and flicks his wand so the bag falls on the empty bed next to her. “So I made Rosa, Charles, and Gina help me get some stuff to keep you occupied.” He starts taking things and handing them to her.

It’s a bunch of chocolate and candies and muggle movies and a few romance novels and muggle card games and even a stuffed animal version of a three-headed dog.

“Aw, Jake, this is so nice,” Amy can’t think of anything better to say, so she just grabs the stuffed animal and pulls it close. “Why didn’t you go to the game?”

“Eh, I needed a break after all the drama. And since _you_ were forced into a break, I figured we could hang and you could teach me some of this stuff.”

She’s confused by his vagueness. “This stuff?”

“You know...” He trails off and waits for her to catch on. She doesn’t, which slightly infuriates her because she’s very smart. “Muggle stuff.”

“Oh.” She says. That hadn’t occurred to her. “Sure, I’d love to.” She grabs her laptop that she tries not to use on school grounds and goes through the movies. “Which one looks interesting to you?” She fans them out.

“Any of them about Quidditch?” He scans them.

She laughs. “Probably not, since it’s a wizard sport.”

“Gina told me muggle nerds play it at their universities.”

“Huh, I didn’t know that,” Amy says as she looks through the movies. There’s _She’s the Man_. She and the few muggle girl friends (and her brothers) loved watching that movie while growing up. And it’s a sports movie. Kind of. “This one has soccer in it. Or football, I guess.” Since they now live in Scotland and England, she should probably use the right diction. (She was born and raised in New York, but her parents moved her to London when she was 10. She’s kind of sad she hasn’t gotten an accent yet.)

Jake takes the DVD case and looks at the back. “Isn’t there a Shakespearean play like this?”

“Yeah it’s an adaptation of the play _Twelfth Night or What You Will_ ,” She explains, trying not to be rude and sound surprised as to how he would know that. She knows Jake knows things.

He looks over at her after reading the summary. “Will I learn anything? Like is this a movie I’d watch in a class for muggle studies?”

She laughs at the thought. “No way.”

“Okay, I’m in.”

+

They watch the movie, and to Amy’s surprise, Jake loves it. “Man,” He says, staring enrapt at the credits rolling. “I wish I’d watched more muggle movies growing up. It’ll take me forever to catch up.”

“Don’t worry I can help you find the good ones,” Amy says.

“I dunno, Santiago, are you sure you’re up to the challenge?”

“Do you know who you’re talking to?” She says with a flair for the dramatic from hanging out with Gina. Then something occurs to her. “Where is everyone? The game should be over.”

“I think the professors all decided to take the students to Three Broomsticks to celebrate camaraderie or something,” Jake says. “I offered to take you out, or even sneak you out, but everyone said you needed to get better. And Pomfrey’s orders are practically unbreakable vows.”

Amy makes a face, “Aw, but I love Three Broomsticks.”

“I know, Santiago. But hey, instead of awesome food and Quidditch, you can teach me what these do,” Jake says helpfully, holding up the playing cards. “I think I’ve heard of these of being muggle magic, but I have a wand that is already better than that. So, what do you got for me?”

She thinks back to all the times she and her parents and her brothers all played card games, and which one would be the best to signify how awesome a little stack of cards could be without any spells. “How much effort are you willing to put in?”

“Little to none.”

That makes it harder. Instead of trying to sum up everything about Muggle recreation in regards to playing cards, she decides to just teach him “War”, where it’s all random and chance, but can go on for hours if you let it.

They get oddly competitive about it, no surprise there, so after they both clean up the cards from throwing them in anger (twice, each one of them did it once) they finally settle on playing it calmly and methodically.

“So you really never played any of these Muggle games?” Amy asks, after they have an easy silence. Not that she can’t stand the silence, but it’s weirder with Jake. He’s usually always moving or talking. And he’s oddly subdued right now.

“Nah,” He says as they both turn over their cards. King-7, her, so she takes the cards for her stack. They’re playing ace to King highest. “My mom was all about leaving Muggle life after they fell for each other. Apparently the Peralta line has some pretty high-standard wizards, but...” He exhales, somewhat slowly. “I wouldn’t know.”

“I’m sorry,” Amy offers, not sure what else to say.

Jake flips over a card, then looks up at her to do the same. She does. Eight-Ten, so he gets the cards. “Don’t be. He’s probably a real dick.”

“He definitely is if he left you,” Amy says sincerely, looking up at him. He blinks then clears his throat.

“Um, I- thanks... Santiago,” He says, and she feels bad for making him awkward.

She’s about to say something (anything? She has no idea) when an owl hits the window and she yelps in surprise. “I’ll get it, that looks like Charles’s owl.” Jake stands and opens the window, and there’s Alumette, Charles’s tawny owl who cannot manually stop on her own, adjusting herself and ruffling her feathers. Jake grabs the note, but then carries it over without opening it. Before she can ask, he explains, “It’s for you.”

Confused, she opens the note and sees a letter from Rosa. Well, it’s probably more accurately a note.

_A.S._

_Hope Peralta is at least being somewhat interesting. If not, I can kick his ass._

_R.D._

Amy shows the note to Jake and they both laugh, but Amy does put the note in her journal for any future scrapbooks.

“You know what always confused me yet made complete sense?” Jake says as they resume the game. Six-Ace, she grabs the cards.

“What?” Ten-Jack, he grabs the cards.

“You and Diaz, being buddy-buddy,” Jake says. Queen-King, he grabs the cards. “I mean, you guys were friends right before it was really _okay_ for a muggleborn and a pureblood to be friends at Hogwarts. But you guys always seemed to click anyway,” He continues, focusing a bit too closely on the cards. Five-Three, she grabs the cards.

“It was the first month of my first year, and I had no idea what was going on, really,” Amy starts the story. She’s surprised she hadn’t told Jake, or that he hadn’t found out. “And I was getting bullied by a group of pureblood Slytherins and Gryffindors, and Rosa just appeared out of _nowhere_ , wielding her wand like she knew how to, and she told them to leave me the fuck alone, or she’d hex all of them." Jake's eyebrows raise at her dropping the f-bomb, but she continues anyway, "After they all ran away, she kept hanging out with me to make sure I wouldn’t get made fun of, and we just became friends after she appointed herself as my bodyguard.”

“That’s really sweet,” Jake smiles, finally looking up at her. “Why did she make herself your bodyguard?”

“I’ve always been too afraid to ask,” Amy shrugs one-sided, but that’s a lie.

+

_“Why?” Amy found herself blurting, about two weeks into Rosa’s protection of her._

_Rosa’s eyes flicked over at her, “Why what?”_ _  
_

_“Why are you being so nice to me? I mean, I’m a mudblood-”_ _  
_

_“Don’t call yourself that,” Rosa said, resolutely. “You’re a muggleborn, I’m a pureblood. And it means jack shit.” Amy nearly gasped:_ such _language for 11-year-olds. “I figured you for a good wizard, and you’ve proved me right so far. Blood purity has nothing to do with it. I only surround myself with worthwhile people, Santiago.” And then she smirked slightly, and said with a challenge in her voice, “Are you up to the challenge?”_ _  
_

_And Amy straightened, like she was preparing for war (and maybe she was). “Damn right.”_

+

Not that Rosa ever hid how she felt about blood purity, especially after Headmaster Holt became Headmaster, but Amy likes having that moment just with them. Plus, she figures that no one would believe that Rosa willingly spoke almost 50 words in one go.

Jake laughs, “Don’t blame ya.” The next cards are both threes, and Amy gasps in excitement.

“Oh this is fantastic, c’mon, I’ll show you what to do.”

+

It’s late that night when the Ravenclaw girls’ side is flooded with students, even people not in their house. Well, just one, Rosa. But Rosa goes any and everywhere, and no one stops her.

“Sup, losers,” Rosa greets to them. They were still playing war, but no clear victory had been declared. “I brought you takeout,” She hands them each a little tinfoil-wrapped food.

“You’re the best, Rosa,” Jake says emphatically and emotionally, just to make her squirm. Well, the Rosa-equivalent of Squirm, which is just narrowing her eyes.

“Keep it in your pants, Peralta,” She banters, and then turns to Amy. “How you feeling?”

“Better,” She admits. “It was smarter that I stayed in and allowed my body the time to recuperate and let the potions do their job-”

“Uh-huh,” Rosa interrupts, but not rudely. “You honestly didn’t miss much. The only thing people wanted to talk about was the Yule Ball.” She rolls her eyes.  
Both Amy and Jake stare blankly at her.

She raises an eyebrow, “The Yule Ball? The students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are coming in, like, a fortnight to do dumb dancing and shit.”

Amy and Jake still just stare. Rosa exhales, “Jesus, you two are useless.”

“Hey, in our defense, we were focusing on our bet and Quidditch,” Jake says.

“And our classes,” Amy adds, but Jake just laughs at that, causing her to roll her eyes.

“Well, whatever,” Rosa says. “Dances are stupid. But most people were asked in the past two weeks, so hopefully you two figure something out,” Then she looks at the clock. “We should get out of here, Peralta. I’m sure the nerds want a good night’s sleep.”

The Ravenclaw women laugh, because that’s true. Then Rosa and Jake go to leave.

“Wait, um, Jake!” Amy scrambles up slightly. Jake turns back around. “Thanks for keeping me company.” She goes to say something about he didn’t have to, but then he says.

“Happy to, Ames. Night.”

“Night.”

+

It’s the week before the Yule Ball, and Amy thankfully was able to get a dress mailed from home since she didn't think to pack any fancy ones initially. (Well she did, but Rosa and Gina both told her she looked like a granny in those, so they were vetoed.) She trusted her mom and her eldest brother’s girlfriend (an amazing fashionista) to pick a dress, since she had no time to leave campus and shop, and it really paid off. It looks pretty good on her, and she was surprised.

Amy’s sitting in the library, studying for History of Magic when there’s suddenly someone clears their throat and startles her from her studies.

She looks up and finds Jake Peralta on one knee, holding out a chocolate frog (one of her favorite treats) like he would a ring box for a proposal. Everyone is staring at them.

“Peralta, what the hell are you doing?” She pulls him up so he’s sitting next to her instead.

“You don’t have a date to the Ball, right?” Jake says, ignoring her efforts to make his voice softer in the library. She’s not uncomfortable, just confused.

“No, I don’t,” She answers, because it’s always better to just play along.

“Wanna go with me? Like, just as friends?”

Something both soars and falls inside her, but she smiles. “I’d love to.”

Jake jumps on the table and shouts, “SHE SAID YES!” And everyone cheers. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since there is no triwizard tournament, my universe Yule Ball takes place before a Winter break. Sorry if things aren't a 100% accurate.


	6. You'll Have a (Yule) Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Are you gonna see him again?” Amy asks, chin rested on her knees in her old school matching pajamas. They’re probably ironed, Jake muses, and finds himself smiling.
> 
> “Are you guys gonna go _steady_?” Jake drawls, teasing Rosa, who immediately scowls at him. Then he turns back to Amy, “Shit, wait, is that the right muggle phrase?”

Jake is not good at being patient, and everyone knows that. He doesn’t exactly hide it either. Rosa, especially, is good at noticing. And she’s currently laughing at him near the doors to the great hall where the ball is taking place as they both wait for their friends to show up, because they all wanted to walk in together.

Rosa is wearing a simple black dress with a slit up to her mid-thigh, and she’s going stag to hopefully meet some Durmstrang guys. Jake asked Amy to go as friends, and he’s wearing his dress robes that actually fit (his ones for his bar mitzvah were too big and now they look good on him). He’s getting antsy, and he looks at his wrist even though it doesn’t have a watch. “Jesus, where is everyone?”

“Boyle probably can’t figure out a tie, Gina needs to be fashionably late, and Jeffords and Sharon went over to help Santiago out.”

“Why does she need help?” Jake asks, confused, looking into the great hall to see that the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are already inside, along with some Hogwarts students, and dancing has already started.

He hears Rosa laugh in disbelief, “Fuckin’ wow,” She says under her breath then, to him, she says, “ _That’s_ why.”

Her shocked tone makes him look over, and he watches as Sharon, Terry, and Amy walk up to them. But he really only sees Amy.

She’s wearing a simple and gorgeous red dress that nearly does him in, flats, and her hair is pulled up but curtaining her face in waves. Around her elbows is a pretty wrap-thing that’s sheer red. She has a shy look on her face, and she looks amazing. She’s wearing makeup and her hair isn’t in its trademark sleek ponytail, so if he had to make a bet (which he would in a heartbeat) that Terry and Sharon were helping her out. Terry is surprisingly good with hair.  

“Wow,” is all Jake thinks to say, but then he amends himself, “Wow, Ames, you clean up nicely for a keeper.”

Amy laughs, “Thanks, Jake, you do too. Well, for a chaser.” She adds with a smile. 

He bows dramatically, to the laughs of his friends and any passers by, and extends his elbow. “Shall we dance?”

“If you want me to step on your toes,” She says, smiling with the warning as she takes his elbow.

“Shall we get something to drink?”

“Much better.”

+

The ball is actually great, but Jake decides that Amy’s right. She’s a terrible dancer, and constantly steps on his toes.

“Do you think there’s a spell that will make you a better dancer?” Jake muses as he holds her waist in one hand and her hand in the other as they abandon formal dancing and just sway.

“If I’m going to dance, I’m going to do it honestly and fairly,” Amy says with a playful smile, then her jaw drops as she sees something beyond him. “Holy _shit_.”

He nearly breaks his neck as he spins around to see what caused that reaction from her, when he sees Rosa flirting heavily with a Tall Dark Dangerous guy, who _has_ to be from the Durmstrang Institute.

“Go, Diaz,” Jake says, twisting him and Amy so they’re facing the scene better.

“I think that’s Adrian Pimento,” Amy says, softly enough so only he can hear. “He’s been scouted to be the seeker for the Greek National Quidditch Team.”

That surprises him, and he focuses on Amy. “How old is he?”

“Like 17.”

“Damn, good on Rosa,” Jake says, then nearly chokes on his words as he sees that Rosa and Pimento have moved from the hey-how-are-ya stage and are already at the snogging-against-a-wall stage.

Amy looks over, laughs and hides her face in Jake’s chest so it’s not as disruptive, and he finds himself freezing at the sudden, surprising touch and she jumps back.

They both go to speak and stammer weird syllables at each other and he’s so focused on what he’s trying to get out and not make it weird that he barely hears what she’s saying until she says, “I gotta get a drink” in a very loud way then jerkily turns away.

“Yeah, hydration,” Jake says after her then puts his hands on his hips as he shakes his head at himself, dammit what the hell was that?

Before he can focus, Charles is running into him at near-full speed. “Jakey!” Charles greets and then leans them close so they have privacy (well, privacy in a crowded, loud dance hall). “I met the most _beautiful_ girl from Beauxbatons.”

Jake raises an eyebrow, but says sincerely, “Wow, awesome, Charles. Who is she?”

“That one!” Charles says exuberantly and goes to point but Jake smacks his hand down.

“Maybe a bit more subtle, Boyle,” Jake supplies, and then Charles starts coughing and jerking his head towards a girl that’s coming over.

She’s tall and pretty and has long blonde-ish hair. She’s definitely from Beauxbatons, and she smiles at the two of them. “You must be Charlie’s friend, Jake. I’m Genevieve, nice to meet you.”

Jake looks at Charles in slight surprise, but Charles just shrugs as if to say _Of course I’ve already mentioned you_. He refocuses on Genevieve. “Nice to meet you too.”

“If you don’t mind if I steal him away, there’s fried werewolf spiders on the table over there,” Genevieve says excitedly, pointing to the table of food prepared by Durmstrang.

“No please, you two enjoy,” Jake says, because he can’t eat Charles’s weird food preferences, so he’s pleased he’s found someone who can.

Jake looks for Amy, and finds her standing by the drinks table (still?). But oh.

She’s talking to someone.

A blonde guy who screams Beauxbatons like Pimento screamed Durmstrang. He’s tall-ish, well, he’s alright, Jake supposes. A bit _too_ decent looking, like your weird neighbor’s son that she’s always trying to set up on dates because he can’t get them himself.

Jake sighs to himself, that was a bit mean. He looks around for his friends.

Terry and Sharon are slow dancing together, Charles and Genevieve are feeding each other, Gina is dancing up on stage next to the lead singer, Rosa is pulling Pimento out of the room (again, good for her), and Amy is flirting with that same Beauxbatons boy.

Has anyone snuck in fire whiskey yet? Because that sounds like a good idea.  
+

After the Yule Ball, Jake and his friends are sitting around the Gryffindor common room, sipping from the same bottle of fire whiskey and trading stories from the night, now lounging in pajamas.

“And after we transitioned from the waltz to traditional ballroom-” Terry says.

“ _Flawlessly_ ,” Sharon emphasizes, intertwining their hands with a smile.

“We decided to spice things up a bit-” Terry goes to continue but then Gina, who’s lying on the ground (well, on top of all the pillows) and texting, giggles.

“That was decidedly milquetoast. That story is emoji shade-throwing face and also sick face, but without the mask. Next one please, and step it up.”

“McGonagall yelled at me and Pimento, a seeker from Durmstrang, for public indecency then snuck us a thing of rubbers,” Rosa pipes up, smirking as she takes a sip of the whiskey without a cringe.

Their entire group erupts in oohs, and normally they’d worry about being annoying, but all the students are everywhere doing all sorts of things. No one is sleeping. Today was too awesome for that.

“Are you gonna see him again?” Amy asks, chin rested on her knees in her old school matching pajamas. They’re probably ironed, Jake muses, and finds himself smiling.

“Are you guys gonna go _steady_?” Jake drawls, teasing Rosa, who immediately scowls at him. Then he turns back to Amy, “Shit, wait, is that the right muggle phrase?”

“You got it,” Amy smiles at him.

Rosa speaks up, “Yeah, no. Hit it and quit it.” Then she pauses, “Plus he goes to school in like Norway or something. Not fucking with long distance.”

“But you _are_ fucking with him while they’re here?” Gina clarifies, since the students are staying for a week. Rosa reveals nothing in her facial expression, but Gina starts clapping. “Knew it! Next story.”

Charles claps, and everyone looks over at him and his excitement. “I met a great girl from Beauxbatons, and we _gorged_ ourselves on werewolf spiders-”

Their entire group gags, hoping to get him to stop as Gina grabs the whiskey from Terry, “Your story makes me cry on the inside.”

“Well, then, what did you do?” Charles asks, sticking up for himself slightly.

“I danced with that lead singer of the band. Should I be a professional dancer?”

All of them basically say yes or whatever, but Amy says “no.” Gina looks over at her, and cocks her head. “Who asked you, tiny shoe?”

Amy rolls her eyes, “You just did.”

“I don't recall. Why shouldn’t I be a dancer? Wasn’t I _fire_ up there?” Gina looks around at the others for confirmations, and they agree.

“You were great, Gina, but dancing isn’t a financial _sound_ career-”

“Shush, you’re harshing my buzz. What were _you_ doing then, Santiago? Filing taxes with Jake?” Gina asks.

“If you _must_ know, I met a cute boy named Teddy from Beauxbatons,” Amy says pointedly and pleased. Jake reaches for the fire whiskey from Gina and takes a huge gulp, wincing against the burn.

Rosa snorts, “Beauxbatons? Ha-ha!” She laughs boisterously at her and Jake can’t suppress a smirk at Rosa’s teasing.

Amy rolls her eyes good-naturedly. “He’s very sweet, and he seems super organized.”

“Literally, how can you tell that?” Gina asks, confused. “No wait, nevermind I don’t care.”

Amy continues anyway, “He just seems so sweet and kind.”

“Those are boring adjectives,” Rosa says definitively.

“Are you saying sweet and kind people are boring?” Sharon asks, confused, still snuggled into Terry. Terry could be like a muscular human blanket- Okay. Jake needs to stop drinking. He hands the whiskey over to Amy, who just passes it to Charles.

“Nah, but if that’s the only thing you can say about someone, then they obviously didn’t make a good impression on you.” Rosa says.

“We were barely able to have an in-depth conversation, guys,” Amy defends herself. “We barely talked-”

“If you consider a whole hour ‘barely’ then sure.” Jake mutters, but then everyone looks at him. Whoops, he might have said that at normal volume. “Um, Charles, the fire whiskey, please.”

+

A week later, all the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang people are gone, and that makes Jake relax, even though he knows that he and his friends are all heading home and he’s also currently awake at an ungodly hour.

Charles is heading back to Dublin, Rosa is heading back to Liverpool, Terry and Sharon are both from Manchester but are spending the winter vacation in Glasgow, and he, Gina, and Amy all live in London. But Gina and Jake live in Wizard London, and Amy’s family lives in Muggle London.

He’s all finished packing (a surprising feat) and waiting for the morning train ride to King’s Cross, and Gina is last-minute packing. He had told her to hurry up but was told that he “can’t rush genius, Jakey.”

“Peralta!” Someone says his name, and he spins around and finds Santiago walking up to him.

“Hey, Amy,” He greets.

“Surprised to see you for the early train,” She points out, setting down her matching luggage.

“Surprised to see that you’re not waiting for the _Titanic_ , because that’s how old your luggage looks,” Jake banters back, but it’s a bit off.

She gives him a sardonic smile, but then says, “Seriously, it’s like 8 o’clock, why are you up?”

“There’s a sale at a store in Muggle London and Gina wants to be able to make it, and we always travel together. Usually on the afternoon train though,” Jake explains, hands in the pockets of his leather jacket.

“Oh, well I always take the morning train,” She says matter-of-factly.

“Because you’re an insane morning person?” Jake asks.

“You got me,” She smiles at him. “Wanna share a carriage?”

“Absolutely-” Jake starts to say but then Gina walks over, her luggage levitating behind her. “Wow, you’re a Lazy Linetti.”

“I will not be insulted by a boy with a dollar-store haircut,” She says definitively. “Oh hey, Amy. Nice to see your luggage was able to survive time traveling from the 1900s. Truly impressive.”

Amy just gives Gina a look, but Gina’s already on her phone, with her volume on loud so they can hear the weird game she’s playing.

Amy and Jake stand in silence for a bit, the train arriving in five, with the only noise being chattering Hogwarts students and also Kwazy Cupcakes, but then Jake says, “Muggle London isn’t too far from Wizard London, right?”

“No, it’s only a couple miles- I mean kilometers depending on the meet-up point,” Amy corrects herself, still an American sometimes.

“Then we can hang out, right?” Jake had never really considered hanging out with any of his Hogwarts friends from London over break (besides Gina), but Amy always seemed crazy busy with her family and he never thought to ask. But for some reason he’s compelled now.

Amy smiles at him as the train comes into view. “Yeah, of course.” And Jake has to nearly restrain himself from pumping a fist in the air.

What the Merlin is wrong with him?


	7. Home Away From Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “That man is clearly a Hufflepuff. Look at his outfit!” 
> 
> Amy sips her hot chocolate, “If we’re assigning people houses based on their attire, then all bad dressers should go into Gryffindor.”
> 
> Jake’s jaw drops and Amy grins.

Amy didn’t realize it until now, but in her four years at Hogwarts, she had started seeing the Wizard World as a bigger and bigger facet of her life.

Before getting her Hogwarts letter, she had no idea that magic even existed. No idea that she would be the first person in her family to ever be a witch. And she loved lording it over her brothers, even though it’s hard to prove how magical you are when you can’t do magic off-school grounds (just a few more years, Amy).

But that’s another thing. Up until this visit home, she didn’t realize how much she missed magic and Quidditch.

Amy prides herself on being self-sufficient, and she had read stories about wizards who practically left everything to magic. She wants to be able to care of herself and get things done without a wand.

And she can. She’s a muggleborn, and she can wash dishes by hand and drive a car (not well, but still) and can walk over and grab something without needing her wand.

But she misses the opportunity to do so.

Muggle London is being particular boring this Christmas. Her brothers are off with their girlfriends or boyfriends’ families and her parents are mostly going to work functions, so she’s home alone most of the time, and she’s pretty lonely. She’s read all the books in the apartment and she doesn’t have much money to spend.

She’s keeping up to date with her friends. Rosa and her send owls to each other throughout the day. It’d be easier to text (since all they really talk to each other about are minor things that barely even make up a paragraph), but Rosa thinks cellphones are stupid. And Amy can respect that.

Terry and Sharon just send postcards with them in front of landmarks, waving and kissing, and all of them are really pretty and sweet. The PDA makes her slightly uncomfortable, but she’s used to it in person enough that she's not bothered.

Teddy is the son of two half-bloods, but he doesn’t know a lot about muggle stuff. So talking with him results in a lot of waiting for owls, and she kind of hates to admit it, but Rosa was right. Teddy’s kind of... boring. But he’s smart, and fun to talk to. Maybe they can just be platonic.

Everyone else is a bit better at communication. Charles is the son of a half-blood and a muggle, so he knows Muggle technology fairly well. He’s a huge fan of Instagram, so they usually message each other on that oddly enough. She tries to keep up with his culinary adventures, but she mostly just feigns interest. _That goat liver looks_ great, _Charles!_

Gina is also a muggleborn, and they Snapchat occasionally. Mostly Gina’s Outfit-of-the-days and then she doesn’t respond to the more conversational snaps that Amy sends her. But she expected that, so it’s fine.

Jake and her text each other every day, throughout the day. And he’s gotten better at understanding Snapchat, because of the moving pictures, but all other social media is basically a bust. Still, they are talking near constantly. But they haven’t made plans to meet yet, even though it’s well after Christmas.

It’s a Friday night, and she’s eating chips (crisps, dammit) and watching Netflix by herself while alone in her family’s apartment, since only she and her brother Diego are the only ones that live at home still, and London is expensive. She’s watching her favorite show, and she’s bored and lonely.

Pursing her lips, Amy pauses her show (in the middle of _How to Get Away with Murder_ which would normally take a nuclear event) and texts Jake. Because Amaranta Maria Nila Santiago does things on her own, and she gets it done.

Amy: Are you busy tonight?

The text bubble pops up almost immediately, and the text itself even quicker.

Jake: Nope. Bored outta my fuckin mind.

Amy: Do you want to hang out? I’m bored too.

Jake: Yea sure wat do u wanna do ??

She thinks about it for a second. Even though she can’t do magic, seeing more of the wizarding world would be nice.

Amy: I can meet you in Wizard London, if that works.

The text bubble takes a bit longer to appear, and the dot-dot-dot is there for a while, but a text does eventually appear.

Jake: Actually can I meet u in MugLon? I haven’t been in ages.

Amy recalls the fact that he said he was dragged shopping with Gina, but that’s probably doing Gina Stuff, not stuff Jake would want to do. Plus, she doesn’t need magic really, and Jake _asked_ to go to a Muggle city. She can acquiesce for the his sake.

Amy: Sure. Should I meet you at King’s Cross?

That’s the only place she knows of that connects to the wizarding world.

Jake: Nah there’s a place closer to yours. I’ll text you when I’m amongst the Muggles.

Amy: Sounds perfect.

And it does.

+

Amy waits anxiously, dressed in layers of a winter coat, a beanie, a pair of soft, warm gloves, and leggings under jeans because it’s snowing and dark out and London is notoriously cold and wet.

Jake told her to meet her at St. Stephen’s Tavern, by the River Thames. It’s not far from her family’s apartment, just a short walk, but it’s still a weird place to meet up. It’s a weirdly popular place, considering how aggressively English yet touristy it is. Plus, they can’t legally drink.

“Santiago?” A familiar voice questions from behind her, and she grins and turns around.

Under a streetlamp is Jake Peralta, wearing one of those hats with ear flaps, mittens, a leather jacket, and sweatpants and boots.

“Jake,” She can’t stop the urge to give him a hug, and he hugs her back. They squeeze tight once then pull away. “Glad the journey over wasn’t hard,” She says, thinly veiled in case muggles are listening. Considering it’s a Thursday night at 9 in the evening, it’s not that crowded.

He shrugs, hands already in the pockets of the jacket, “It was mighty, but I figured it out, as always,” He says with the trademark cocky Peralta smirk. “Have you eaten?”

“Just crisps,” She says, mentally applauding herself for the correct vernacular.

“Wanna get chips? This place is still serving food,” He jerks his thumb to the Tavern. “Don’t wanna brag, but my mom gave me 20 pounds for dinner.”

Amy looks over at the place, “I know someplace better and cheaper and not filled with annoying Americans.”

“You’re an annoying American,” Jake banters.

Amy raises an eyebrow, “So are you.”

“Shit you’re right,” He grins wickedly at her and gestures away from the Tavern. “I’m sold on your place though. Lead the way.”

Amy takes them to a tiny hole-in-the-wall place Diego showed her that his boyfriend showed _him_. They shed some layers, sit in a booth and eat pancakes, but they also sort the various waitstaff and patrons into Hogwarts houses.

“What is wrong with you?” Jake accuses, playfully aghast after placing a man eating a stack of waffles in Ravenclaw. “That man is _clearly_ a Hufflepuff. Look at his outfit!”

He’s wearing all tweed, like he stepped out of a Sherlock Holmes convention. He’s reading papers sprawled around him in a booth and sipping coffee instead of tea with the waffles precariously on the napkin box instead of in front of him.

Amy sips her hot chocolate, “If we’re assigning people houses based on their attire, then all bad dressers should go into Gryffindor.”

Jake’s jaw drops and Amy grins. “Wow, harsh. What makes you say that? We’re all dashing and courageous-”

“You’re wearing sweatpants while it’s snowing outside.”

Jake huffs, “I’m brave enough to endure the cold, Santiago.”

“And I’m wise enough to dress up sanely,” Amy points out with a smile.

“Rosa would be stubborn enough to not let the winter bother her,” Jake continues, smiling slightly.

“I think her inner rage would keep her warm,” Amy says and Jake laughs.

“That’s perfect, I love it.”

Before she can think of anything else to say to that, their waitress leaves the check on their table.

“Wanna get out of here?” Amy asks. She always feels awkward leisuring about after the check comes. It may be left over from being a family of 10 going to restaurants growing up.

Jake waggles his eyebrows, “And do _what_ exactly, Santiago?”

Amy gives him a look. “Nevermind. Enjoy going back home.”

Jake pouts at her, outrageously. What’s even more outrageous is that she actually, immediately starts to feel bad for making him sad, even if she knows he’s joking. “Aw come on, I was teasing! What did you want to suggest?”

Amy thinks of his sweatpants, and then smirks. “C’mon, it’s outside.”

+

Amy leads Jake out to a park nearby and slosh into the snow. “Wow, snow,” He says sarcastically, looking around with his hands in his pockets and meanders about. As he peers around, she takes the opportunity to kneel down and scoop up some snow stealthily.

“Jake?” She asks, voice a bit high-pitched.

Right when he turns around, she lobs the snowball at him and hits him square in the face. Her arms go up in glee. “Headshot!” She cries happily, an old joke with her brothers.

He wipes at his face, a look on awed shock on it, “What the dragon balls was that, Santiago?”

She grins haughtily at him, “ _That_ was a snowball. A Muggle tradition.”

“Muggles find that fun?” He asks, cocking his head and he pauses. “Let me see.” Before she can even react, he’s throwing his own snowball at her.

It gets the top of her head, right at the crown of her forehead. She dives down and grabs more snow, and he does the same.

Before they know it, snowballs are flying. London snow isn’t perfect for this, too slushy, but it’s working well enough. She gets another face-shot, and suddenly he’s shouting, “That’s it!”

The next thing Amy knows, she’s being tackled to the ground. The snow and mud is enough of a cushion, and she’s laughing too hard to really acknowledge any pain anyway. He’s laughing too, until they’re realize he’s right on top of her, one of his knees pressed between her two parted thighs.

They scramble to stand, and stand at ways from each other. That’s when she notices he’s shivering. Oh god, his pants are soaked (but she tries not to let her gaze linger.) “C’mon, my flat is just a block away, we can shower and my brothers probably have spare clothes you can use.”

Jake nods, arms wrapped around himself. “S-sounds like a p-plan.”

“Maybe don’t try to brave the cold next time,” She offers unhelpfully, slightly smiling as she leads the way.

“S-shut up.”

At her apartment, Amy lets Jake take a quick rinse in the hall shower while she showers in her parents’ bathroom (hopefully they won’t mind.) She changes into some fuzzy, flannel pajamas, and sets out old clothes from her brothers (a sweatshirt from Tino, sweatpants from Alejo, and boxers from Diego) in front of the door. The boxers thing was weird, but wet underwear is probably worse.

She sets up Netflix on the TV in the living room and tries to think of things a wizard would find amusing to watch. She has blankets set out and popcorn popping in the microwave.

She hears the shower stop and the door open soon after, but she forces herself not to look over. She’d have to turn around, and it would be obvious and awkward if she saw Jake in just a towel. Not interesting at all.

“These are super comfortable, thanks, Santiago,” Jake says as he steps out. Since the microwave goes off, she goes to teach him about how microwave popcorn works and they sit down and watch old 80s movies that are stupid but funny.

Jake is a good sport, since they can’t access any Wizard programs. She’s not surprised to find he’s a movie talker, constantly asking what things are and getting clarity but she also finds she doesn’t mind and is genuinely happy to explain.

Her parents won’t be back until tomorrow, and she doesn’t have the heart to make him trudge out into the cold, so she lets him text his mom to let her know he’s spending the night.

The night is silent, and snow still falls around them. Eventually, Jake falls asleep and he’s practically curled up into her side like a cat. Even though she should be relaxed, she finds her heart beating faster, and she doesn’t know why.

Suddenly, something hits the window and she screams in surprise, causing Jake to fall off the sofa. She immediately relaxes upon recognizing it as Teddy’s owl, Bière.

“Are you okay?” She checks with Jake first.

He nods, gulping slightly, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just Teddy’s owl,” She goes over to check on it, and when she looks back on Jake after grabbing the letter (which will probably talk more about his family’s brewery) and sees he’s standing in a stretch, revealing a sliver of stomach from his raised shirt that causes her to stumble slightly.

“I’m gonna head to bed, thanks for letting me sleep over.” And with that, he goes to Diego’s room, since Diego likes Jake enough to let him sleep in his bed. Well, hypothetically. They've never met.

Amy frowns to herself, all alone in the glow of the TV in the living room. What the hell just happened?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven’t been to London in ages. The St. Stephen’s Tavern is real, but the restaurant diner is so not and I just threw it in because it’s basically a staple in B99 fics lol. Please forgive me for the twist of reality.


	8. I Cast a Spell on You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles stands, even more dramatically than before, “You are a majestic Gryffindor lion, and I will not leave your side-”
> 
> The door opens hesitantly. “Hey, Peralta, I heard that-” Amy peaks her way in. “Hey Charles!”
> 
> Charles straightens up, “Well, you’re in good hands. I’ll see you later.”
> 
> And then Charles is gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! Got a bit blocked. But I made it longer than usual to hopefully make up for it. Hope you guys like it, looks like Jake finally got a clue.

It takes a literal hit to the face for Jake to realize he has a crush on Santiago.

Wait. Should he refer to her as Amy now? Crushes don’t get called by their last names, do they?

His brain is too fuddled from the seeker to the head to really focus. Why is it whenever he gets injured Pomfrey is off campus? Seriously, he needs some Felix Felicis just to survive, not even be good at, Quidditch. Besides, he doesn’t need Wizard luck potion to be good at Quidditch. Especially since he’s winning the bet with Amy.

But back to the point.

He was hit during the first game back from Winter Hols, Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff, and the game was actually super intense. Gryffindor was up by 150, but Charles was getting close to the snitch. Gryffindor’s seeker, a fifth year named Marshall Boone, and Charles were going head to head, and Charles elbowed at Boone and Boone’s broom went right to Jake’s temple, causing him to nearly fall off his own broom. Boone’s an idiot, but their normal seeker was out sick with slug poisoning.

As his mind screamed in pain and so did his mouth from the hit, the main thing he could think was, “ _Shit, hope Santiago doesn’t hear about that_.”

Which was weird for him. Normally he thinks, “ _Hope I at least looked cool_ ” or " _Please no one see me injured in general._ ” And suddenly it hits him like a broom to the face: he has a crush on Amy Santiago.

He’s distracted from his revelation by Charles’s noises beside him turning from sobs to wails. Even though it wasn’t really his fault, Charles is sitting vigil at Jake’s infirmary bed until Pomfrey comes back from visiting her sister. He just needs a concussion potion.

“You okay there, buddy?” Jake flicks his hand to the ground. He and Charles couldn’t find ice, so he was holding a huge chunk of snow to his head. Now his hand is soaked and freezing.

“You’re just so fragile, Jake!” Charles says dramatically, almost causing Jake to smile. “I don’t know what I’d do without you!”

“You don’t have to worry about that, Boyle, it’s just a head wound,” Jake offers. But because Charles is so much fun to dick with, he says, “I doubt they’ll have to give me a new brain. But if they do, do you think I’ll be resorted?”

Charles stands, even more dramatically than before, “You are a majestic Gryffindor lion, and I will _not_ leave your side-”

The door opens hesitantly, “Hey, Peralta, I heard that-” Amy peaks her way in. “Hey Charles!”

Charles straightens up, “Well, you’re in good hands. I’ll see you later.”

And then Charles is gone.

Weird.

“Hey, Santiago,” Jake greets, temporarily forgetting the whole call-your-crush-their-actual-name thing. “What are you doing here? I thought you were studying.” They normally try to go to each of each other’s games, especially with the bet, but Jake sometimes doesn’t go in order to do dumb stuff with Gina or Charles and Amy only bails to study.

“I was, but then Rosa let me know that you were injured during a game and Pomfrey is travelling from France and so I got you my ice pack from my muggle first aid kit,” She sits down at the foot of his bed and holds out the ice pack.

“Your crazy preparedness finally pays off,” Jake says with a lazy smile.

She makes a thoughtful face, mouth scrunched up slightly, “Should you be mocking the person helping you out?” Even then, she hands him the ice pack because she’s so sweet and perfect.

He straightens slightly against the uncomfortable infirmary rails and repeats and amends himself as he holds the ice to his temple, “Your _amazing_ preparedness pays off, because I’m a terrible Quidditch player?” He checks.

Amy’s eyes go playfully wide and she grabs her phone, “Sorry, can you repeat that? I want to make that my text tone.”

“That’s not a legally binding, I have brain damage,” Jake defends himself, but doesn’t technically recant his statement. Mostly because she still has a smile on her face.

She looks like she’s going to say something, but then Pomfrey walks in, “Oh my. Peralta, Santiago, when will you ever stop injuring each other?” She clucks at them disapprovingly.

Amy says, “Oh I didn’t injure him-” While Jake says, and says it louder, “Yes, it’s getting to be quite a problem. Can I get a restraining order?”

Amy hits his shoulder, and he gasps and looks at Pomfrey as if to say “ _see_?!”

She just looks at the both of them, then says, “Well, let’s fix that concussion.”

+

In Charms, nearly a month after winter break, Jake finds himself staring at Santiago more than usual.

Plus, well, there’s not much else to else to stare at. Professor Flitwick is awesome and a great professor, but he’s not a looker. Santiago has always been pretty. That’s just common knowledge. She sits in the front, and he sits closer in the back. Obviously.

So at least it’s inconspicuous. And she’d never catch on. Because that would be tragic. And embarrassing. And sucky as hell.

She has her I’m-Studious-And-Focused ponytail and he can’t stop staring at it. It’s just so sleek and shiny. Of course he’s distracted.

“Stop staring at Santiago, you’re being creepy,” Rosa says, poking him with her wand. Luckily, they’re just practicing techniques even though they’re 15.

“I am not,” Jake hisses back. “She sits in the front of the room, I’m just paying attention.”

Rosa snorts slightly, and Jake knows he’s been had. “You? Paying attention?”

“I’m charming,” Jake maintains, “And I love Charms class.”

“Because you can stare at Santiago without being caught by her. But literally everyone else sees. You Gryffindors can _not_ be subtle,” She rolls her eyes.

“Rude,” Jake says, because no other retort comes to mind. “Slytherins can’t be nice, then.”

Rosa stares at him, “What’s the point of being nice? It’s bullshit.”

“Ms. Diaz, Mr. Peralta, everything alright back there?” Professor Flitwick asks, directing all attention over to the two of them.

“Everything’s great, Professor,” They say at once, then glare at each other a little. Rosa just wants to get through class, and Jake didn’t want Amy to see him staring at her.

After class, Amy catches up to them after checking in with Flitwick, “What were you two doing back there? You were disrupting a very important lesson-”

“We were talking about nothing, nothing at all, right, Diaz?” Jake blurts out before Rosa could say something. Amy cocks her head at the two of them, like she’s trying to solve a puzzle but the only pieces are the two of them.

“Nerds,” Rosa says bluntly, “The both of you.” And then she’s gone down a hallway.

“What was that about?” Amy asks him.

“I’m just a huge nerd, Santiago. I think you’re rubbing off on me,” He says, trying to make it somewhat more scathing than normal because normal people do not make fun of their crushes.

Instead, she smiles and rolls her eyes at him, “Good to know.” But she walks down the halls with him a little more bouncy, which makes him smile in turn.

+

Jake is pretending to study in his bed (not to impress Amy no) when someone flops down across from him.

It’s Gina, sprawled elegantly across the twin XL bed he lives in most of the year now. “What’s up, magic pup?”

“Hey, Gina,” He says without looking up, used to her.

“How’s being in love treating you?” She asks casually.

His head shoots up. “What? What are you talking about? I’m not in love,” He blurts out, happy that the room is thankfully empty for once. He’s not sure what they’re all doing, but he’s glad they aren’t there.

“Wow, be a little more convincing next time,” She says, crossing her legs and moving to sit up. “Now you’re like 50 shades of pathetic.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jake says, channeling his best Holt no-nonsense impression.

Gina sighs at him, “That was just sad, Jake.”

Jake says nothing.

“You didn’t answer my question, what’s it like being the human personification of the heart-eyes emoji?”

Jake rolls his eyes, “I’m not in love, Gina.”

“Ooh, that’s slightly more convincing. But, I’ve known you since before you got your Hogwarts letter. I know you better than our savior, Beyonce.”

“Well, duh, I’ve never met Beyonce-”

“Hush. So, when did you realize you liked Santiago?”

Jake’s eyes nearly bulge out of his face. “How did you know?” Gina just raises an eyebrow. “Fine, you’re an Omniscient Opalescent Tree Shark,” Her latest spirit animal. “And I guess I figured it out right around when she and Teddy started dating.”

Gina makes an “oh shit!” face and noise. “That sucks, Jake- Wait. Amy and Bore-Snore are dating?”

Jake frowns as he doodles with his quill, “They were sending owls to each other during Winter Hols and even during dinner nowadays-”

Gina snorts, “Owling each other? That’d be romantic if it were 1745. Wizards text now. Texting is way more romantic because it’s convenient.” Something slightly perks up inside Jake, but externally he just shakes his head. Gina exhales and stands, “Well, I guess you would know if she was. Perk up, buttercup.” She pats his face like his mom does and leaves.

He will never understand Gina Linetti.

+

Jake and Terry are walking from Herbology together to the dining hall on Valentine's Day when Jake breaks the reverie of their conversation about what they’d do if they were in the Triwizard tournament by saying, “Hey. How did you and Sharon start dating?” He’s always heard the short version that they tell, but he has a feeling that the romantic, Hufflepuff Terry would have a better, fuller tale.

Terry immediately gets a goofy smile on his face, “Well, we sat next to each other on the train. And we kept up with each other all throughout our first two years, and eventually I just had to ask her out, so I accidentally yelled in her face that I thought she was pretty and that I thought she’d have fun on a date with me.”

Jake looks up at him, “That seriously worked?”

Terry laughs, “No. Terry screwed that one up big time. She didn’t talk to me for, like, a week so I found her again and used my inside voice to apologize and explain that I genuinely liked her and promised to treat her right.”

“And _that_ worked?” Jake clarifies as they near the Great Hall

The tallest, broadest person Jake has ever met smiled the brightest, goofiest smile, “Yeah. After she slugged my arm and called me a dork, in the best way. We went on date after date and we’ve been dating ever since.”

“That’s sweet,” Jake finds himself saying.

“It’s been amazing,” Terry says as they enter the Great Hall and see their waving friends. “And, uh, Jake?”

“Yeah?”

“I find, through personal experience and research, that romance often blossoms the best when it’s grown in a pot of friendship dirt first.”

Jake raises an eyebrow, but just as he gets it, Amy is up behind them. “Hey, Terry, Jake. Were you guys talking about planting?”

Jake stammers, and Terry says, “I was just explaining Jake some herbology stuff. Now, can we please talk about Filch’s new haircut?” He says as they sit down. As the conversation immediately turns to that, Terry winks Jake’s way.

Damn, he's apparently as transparent as a window.

+

Jake is called into the Headmaster’s office two weeks before the Springtime Flowers Dance, but Santiago gasps harder than he did. Nervous for the state of his academic well being, she promises to wait outside if he needs assistance.

Knowing she probably just wants a glimpse of her “mentor,” Jake lets her but goes inside alone.

Holt is sitting at his desk, lightly dusted with personal knickknacks but mostly books. He stands. “Hello, Mr. Peralta. Before you fret, I’d like to inform you that you are not in trouble.” Jake exhales slightly in relief. “This is just a check-in.”

“A check-in? For what, sir?”

“With your bet with Ms. Santiago. I notice you two have been able to keep it civil on the field.”

“Well, as you know, since you told us too, we actually in fact cancelled said bet,” Jake tries to say in the most elegant way possible. Instead it comes out like slight gibberish.

Holt just raises an eyebrow.

Jake crumbles, “We do still have the bet, but no one else is aware of it. Not even our friends. We just wanted to make Quidditch more interesting.”

Holt’s head cocks slightly, “The most popular wizarding sport needs to be more interesting to you two, Mr. Peralta?”

“Considering how badass the two of us are, it’s barely surprising we’re bored already-” Jake goes for the douchebag tactic.

“I’m not interested in your bravado. I just wanted to congratulate the two of you, specifically you since it probably required more effort on your part, for keeping things professional yet spry in your athletic, academic and personal lives.”

Jake’s vaguely certain that Headmaster Holt through an insult in there as he goes for some files, but he doesn’t really care. “Thank you, sir.”

“The two of you make a great partnership.” Holt says, eyes flicking up at him. "It's been an honor to watch it evolve, if that is not out of place to say."

“I, uh, what?”

If he's not mistaken, and he honestly might be, Holt is smirking ever so slightly, “You’re dismissed, Mr. Peralta. Feel free to tell Ms. Santiago of what transpired. Have a good day.”

Jake leaves the office, for some reason feeling like he got dating advice. To his slight surprise, Amy’s still waiting. “How’d it go?” She asks, falling into step beside him. “Is everything okay? Are you suspended-”

“Nah, it was nothing like that. He did say he knew that our bet was still on,” Jake says, and watches as panic and fear contort her face. “Breathe, Ames, he says he approves since we’ve kept it safe and we’re not in trouble.”

Amy visibly deflates. “That’s good to hear. Anything else?”

Jake thinks back. “No. Just that he thinks that we did a good job figuring the whole bet thing out.”

Amy beams and nudges him with her elbow. “I’m glad we did too.”

Jake smiles and goes to say something positive but then he thinks of Amy’s laugh when she reads Teddy’s letter during breakfast this morning. So he distances himself away a bit and clears his throat, “Yeah, it’s okay I guess.”

And he tries not to notice her face falling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized I never defended why I put a character into the house I put them in, so here that is:
> 
> Jake: Brave, goofy, and cares about his friends. Gryffindor seemed to fit.
> 
> Amy: I actually kind of hat-stalled with Amy between ambitious Slytherin and intelligent Ravenclaw. I think the Sorting Hat would too. I think, due to her massive research she complied before she attended, she would have been scared to be a muggleborn Slytherin, especially since it was right around when Holt would have taken over and before he could make impact. So I think she would have asked to be put into Ravenclaw.
> 
> Rosa: Mysterious and ambitious. I like to think, in Brooklyn 99 canon, she had to fight hard to be a WOC detective, and you gotta be ambitious. Plus, as someone who’s also a Slytherin, we take no shit. And neither does Rosa.
> 
> Gina: You gotta be brave to pull some of the crap Gina does. Plus, I just liked the idea of her and Jake being in the same house. *sorting hat voice* GRYFFINDOR!
> 
> Terry: I loved the idea of sweet, benevolent, big Terry as a Hufflepuff.
> 
> Charles: Hufflepuff!Charles is practically canon.
> 
> Holt: I don’t say this in the story but I think Holt would be Slytherin. Feel free to fight me on it.


	9. Same Page

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hey, Nerd Face Emoji,” Gina says with her smile on her face, then she gestures to herself, “Your presence is graced with Sunglasses Emoji, along with Money out of Mouth Emoji but, you know, as one complete emoji.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a few more chapters! Eep i'm having so much fun with this AU.

It’s right before the last game, Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor, and Amy might be having a panic attack. She’s not sure why she’s so nervous. The rest of her team isn’t there yet, she’s usually a half an hour early to when they show up. Today, she’s an hour early, so she's glad she definitely has some privacy.

The door bursts open and there Rosa is, standing in her Slytherin robes with blue and bronze stripes on her face. To her, this is major solidarity and spirit. Most everybody else has already been wearing their house colors since this morning, like Jake. (Instead of just his robes, he wore a bright gold bodysuit under them and had his hair dyed temporarily red. Oddly enough, not one of the weirder ones she had seen.)

“You’re earlier than usual, nerd.” Rosa says as a greeting.

“How’d you know I was here?” Amy wraps her hands and wrists in boxer’s bandages. Her brother Tino boxes recreationally, and he suggested that she wear more protective stuff due to the fact she gets injured constantly. She almost snapped at him for being rude, but realized he was right.

“You weren’t in the library or in the Ravenclaw corridors,” She explains, “Figured you were freaking out somewhere.”

“Good instincts,” Amy says, light-hearted.

Rosa doesn’t smile, “Why are you freaking out?”

Amy exhales slowly, “Jake and I kept the bet. We didn’t tell anyone-”

“Because everyone went literal ape-shit last time,” Rosa interrupts with a brisk nod. “Don’t blame you. Same terms?”

Amy nods.

“Are you worried about losing?”

Amy nods.

“Peralta may be a bit of a jackass, but he’s not a toolbag like Pembroke.” He’s the Gryffindor captain, but everyone knows that Jake is the one that actually takes care of his house’s Quidditch team. “He won’t do anything that would make you uncomfortable.”

“I know,” Amy says, and she does know that. “I trust him, so I'm not worried about that, it’s just...” She sighs again and finally speaks up what’s worrying her, “What if this ruins our friendship?”

Rosa stares at her for a few beats, and then punches her shoulder.

“Ow!” Amy says, just for emphasis. It hurts, but no worse than anything her brothers dished out. “You’re being a fuckass,” Rosa says, “You two are solid. What the hell makes you think a stupid-ass bet would ruin it?”

Amy rubs at her shoulder, “It already kind of did.”

“That was because of the school,” Rosa decides. “You can’t count that.”

“And...” Amy winces as she admits, “Things have been weird since we went to the Yule Ball together.”

“Really?” Which is the Rosa-equivalent of pure shock. “They haven’t seemed like it during supper.”

Amy makes a face, “It usually only happens when we’re alone.”

“Why’s that?” Rosa says, but something about her deadpan expression makes it seem like she knows more than she lets on.

Amy sighs, “I don’t know. He visited me over Winter Break, and we had a fun time, but then he got weird-”

“That’s because Peralta is weird,” Rosa says definitively. Amy would fight it, saying how “it wasn’t normal Peralta behavior” but no one interrupts Rosa Diaz. She continues, “You two are dorks but you’re not stupid. If it looks like something’s happening between your friendship, I’ll beat you two up until it’s fixed.”

Amy, oddly enough, smiles. She’s reassured, in only a way that Rosa can. “Thanks, Diaz.”

“Now get ready, you have an ass to kick.”

+

Right before the game, Amy sees Jake running up to her. His hair is still red, with a slight glow to it signifying it was done with magic. She had Rosa give her hair a subtle blue tint to it before she left the locker room, and her black locks shine blue in the sunlight, because she never really got into excessive sports celebration. He’s carrying his broom and so is she, but she’s surrounded by her team.

“Just one moment,” She says to her fellow Ravenclaws and turns to Jake. Even with the bet looming over them, she finds herself smiling at his school spirit, even on the pitch. “Hey, Peralta.”

“I just um...” He gives her a quick onceover and she tries not to blush, for some reason. No reason. Just blushing. Is it hot out here? (It’s _March_.) “Wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”

“Same page for what?” Amy asks, head tilting subconsciously.

He looks like he’s about to speak, goes quiet for just a small moment, then actually speaks, “The numbers. We’re tied, right?” Her eyes drop to his broom, which his fingers are clutching. Oh right, she’ll win his precious broom in the bet.

Amy wasn’t exactly expecting that, “Oh um, yes. 83-83.” She answers, after stammering a bit at the beginning.

“Awesome,” He nods, then looks like he’s about to leave but then he turns back to her. “Does your team know?”

She shakes her head. Sometimes, she has suspicious that they do know, especially Sharon, but none of them have said anything. “Your team?” She asks.

He shakes his head too. “Sometimes I think they’ve caught on but...” He trails off, but he’s smiling.

Amy nods, smiling too. “Same.” They stand in awkward silence, and just when Amy goes to say something (anything) but he just goes, “Good luck” and then he’s gone.

“That was awkward,” Gina says, from out of nowhere. Amy jumps, hand clutching her heart, but then sees it’s her. She may now have gold-colored hair and red stripes on her face, but she’s obviously the brave, boisterous Gryffindor.

“Oh, hey Gina,” Amy greets politely.

“Hey, Nerd Face Emoji,” Gina says with her smile on her face, then she gestures to herself, “Your presence is graced with Sunglasses Emoji, along with Money out of Mouth Emoji but, you know, as one complete emoji.” She waves her hands in front of herself like she’s washing a window, but Gina doesn’t “do” manual labor.

Amy blinks at her. She’s known Gina for years, but still doesn’t fully _get_ her, “Hey, Gina...” She repeats herself, a bit off this time.

“Good luck today,” Gina says, “Just be nice with Jake, he’s a fragile butterfly.” And then Gina is gone.

She’s not sure if that’s an effort to psych her out or not, but she seemed genuine. Not sure how to react, even with Gina already gone, she stands there until Sharon comes back to fetch her.

+

The brooms go up in the air, and Amy guards the posts with deadly precision.

Well, not deadly. Anytime _any_ Gryffindor goes close, Amy dives for it and blocks the shots with any part of herself. Her body already feels pretty beaten and bruised, but at least no bludger is after her.

After eight shots at her goal posts, Peralta is up by two points (or tallies), but Ravenclaws are ahead in the actual game. In the periphery of her focus, she can see the seekers duking it out for the snitch.

The quaffle is off by the Gryffindor posts, but Jake is still nearby her. He has a smirk on his face, but it doesn’t look completely authentic, “Looks like the snitch is gonna get snatched, Santiago.”

“We’ll still win the game,” Amy says, somewhat desperately.

“But I’ll win the bet,” Jake says, and with her team catching the snitch, the game is over. She can barely feel the victory, realizing she’s going to go on a date with Peralta to the big Spring dance.

After the match, with people congratulating her on her postwork left and right, she meets up with her friends in the dining hall. “Jake told us that you continued the bet,” Terry says as she sits down. “Sorry you lost.”

“It’s okay, we won the game,” Amy says, not sure of how to phrase it. Part of her wants to push for a one-on-one against Jake to prove herself, but most of her is oddly fine with the turn of events. She likes her broom. She doesn't need a fancy one. Plus, Jake loves his broomstick. She probably wouldn't be able to take it.

She looks over at Jake, and he’s pushing around food with his fork. She goes to ask him what’s wrong when Gina speaks up, holding up a letter with Amy’s name on it in one hand while texting in the other.

“Oh yeah, Santiago, this came for ya,” She says. “I think it’s from Bore-Snore.”

It _is_  from Teddy, Amy can tell by the handwriting. He was totally fine with the friendship thing, and he seems to have found a girl who’s as obsessed with wine as he is with Pilsners. He’s probably written to gush about her and also wish her luck about her game. A bit late, but still a nice thought.

“Teddy is not a snore,” She defends as she snatches the letter, but then realizes she didn’t defend the other half.

It looks like her group of friends is about to tease her for her slip-up when Jake pushes himself out of the bench. “I’ll see you guys later.”

“Are you coming to the celebration party, Jakey?” Charles asks, concerned, taking a brief reprieve to finish writing a letter to Genevieve.

“Yeah totally,” Jake says, and his eyes flick to Amy. “Good game, Ames,” And then he’s gone.

Their group goes silent as Amy looks down at the food, not sure what she’s feeling.

But then Gina sums it up aptly with a quiet but noticeable, “Hashtag _tension_.”

+

Later that night, the celebration party is rocking in the normally quiet Ravenclaw common room, but Amy can’t find Jake. Now dressed in a casual blouse and leggings and even some makeup, Amy tries to find him in the crowd.

Terry and Sharon are making out on the sofa. Gina is texting on a chair. Charles is talking to two other Hufflepuffs about whether or not you should use wands for cooking. She sees a few other players, on both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, and makes sure to congratulate them on a good game. But no Jake-

That’s when she sees Rosa. She’s challenging a Gryffindor (who’s name escapes her) to an arm-wrestling match, so she makes her way over to her.

In front of her, Amy asks, “Have you seen-”

“One sec,” Rosa interrupts, then slams the Gryffindor’s hand down on the table without breaking a sweat. She turns to Amy, “What’s up?”

“Do you know where Jake is?” Amy asks, trying to sound casual.

Rosa raises an eyebrow as her opponent flexes her fingers, “I think I heard Gina say he was still in his dorm. Oddsbodikins.”

“What?” Amy asks, genuinely confused.

Rosa goes to answer, but the out of breath student demands a rematch so she goes back to it.

Sighing, Amy heads over to the Gryffindor Tower, when she realizes along the way that “Oddsbodikins” is probably the password. Pleased with her deductive reasoning, she picks up her pace.

When the Fat Lady asks her “Password?” in her regal voice, Amy is able to say the very weird word with confidence, and she’s granted admittance.

She’d been in the Gryffindor Tower before, but normally with their friends. It’s odd being there, especially with it being so quiet. Normally it’s rife with chatter and laughter. But everyone’s at the celebration party.

“Jake?” She calls at the door, knocking. It swings open, and Jake stands like he’s just woken up from a nap (shouldn’t he have been getting ready for the party?). His hair is mussed, confirming her nap theory, and he’s dressed in sweatpants and a Quidditch jersey for the Greek team. The clothes hang off his shoulders and hips slightly, and Amy tries not to let her gaze linger even if she wants to. What is _wrong_ with her?

“Hey, Santiago-” His voice is slightly rough.

Overcome by nerves, she decides just to dive right into it, and doesn’t even let him finish her name, “Okay. I’m a size four, I’m allergic to dogs and latex, and my shoe size-”

He looks at her with confused and sleepy eyes, “Why are you telling me this?” He rubs at his eyes and his shirt reveals a sliver of his stomach. Her eyes flick down, and she mentally berates herself for being weak.

“Because of our date,” She makes eye contact with him, and smiles. “You earned the bet win, Peralta,” She straightens her shoulders, “And I’m holding up my end of the deal.”

“The Dance is next week,” Jake says.

“I know, I just figured... maybe you’d want to prepare,” She says. Then winces, remembering who she’s talking to. “Well, you don’t really _prepare_ usually, but in case you wanted to, I wanted to give you information that seemed pertinent-”

“Nah,” He speaks up.

She’s put off, and freezes. “‘Nah?’” She’s about to ask (maybe demand) clarification when he starts talking again, leaning against the doorframe with loosely crossed arms

“Nah,” He says again, “I’m relieving you of your forced date duties.”

Amy’s mouth drops open in surprise, and she finds herself oddly... disappointed. “Jake-”

“‘Night. Santiago,” And then he gently, but resolutely, shuts the door in her face.

What. The. Fuck.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey you guys. I have two more chapters of the plot I had written, but I had an idea I wanted to run by. I really like the universe I have here, so I was wondering if you guys wanted more. If you don’t, I can end it after 11 chapters, but if you want, I can add one-shots that detail the squad and their wacky hijinks at Hogwarts. What do you think?


	10. Amortentia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Diaz, what’s going-”
> 
> “What’s going on is that you’re be a dickweed, Peralta,” Rosa says, elegantly stomping into the room and approaching him in his bed.

Jake is peacefully sleeping in the Gryffindor Tower.

Well, that’s a lie.

He _should_ be peacefully sleeping. Actually, double lie, he should be celebrating. He should be out with his friends, getting Butterbeer drunk and enjoying his victory. While Ravenclaws technically won the game, he won the bet with Amy that he’s had for almost the entire school year. He won against one of the greatest keepers in their generation. This should be awesome.

Instead, he’s but instead he’s just sitting in his bed, his mind reeling from the events of the day.

As much as he likes Amy Santiago (in a romantic-style kind of way, but also platonically), he knows he won’t be able to deal with the fact she’d spend his Bet-won date wishing she was with Teddy instead.

He’s contemplating sneaking down to the kitchens to steal some chocolate when he hears multiple doors slam. He jolts upright, and that’s when he sees a silhouette in the doorway.

He reaches for his wand, but then he hears the person say “Lumos” and he recognizes the voice even before the lights flick on.

“Diaz, what’s going-”

“What’s going on is that you’re be a dickweed, Peralta,” Rosa says, elegantly stomping into the room and approaching him in his bed.

Like a terrified child, he pulls up his covers so almost his chin is covered. “What-”

“Why is Santiago in an awful depression right now?” She demands. “She was pouting all throughout the Ravenclaw celebration because _you_ weren’t there, and after she came to see you, she was even worse. What the hell did you do?”

Jake gulps as Rosa sits on the foot of his bed, “I didn’t do-”

“Dragonshit,” She practically hisses. “Tell me the truth. If you don’t, I’m not above torturing you, and I _don’t_ mean with curses.”

Jake exhales sharply, since he’s scared of Rosa’s prowess enough without magic, and gives up, “I couldn’t deal with her.”

She raises an eyebrow, ever so slightly. “What-”

“With her and Teddy. She’d much rather go to the Dance with Teddy-”

“What are you-”

“You can say whatever you want, but I know it’s true,” He interrupts her, which is practically signing his own execution notice. He looks down.

She sighs, so dramatic and exasperated, especially for her. He’d expect those dramatics from Gina. “Look, you can be a pansy if you want. But don’t fuck up your friendship with Santiago alright?”

Jake says nothing, still not looking at her.

“ _Eres un tonto_ ,” She says, with practically no infliction after waiting for him to respond.

And then she’s gone.

+

The week leading up to the dance eerily reminds Jake of when the Bet had gotten out of hand. Without Quidditch practices, he goes to classes (and sometimes he doesn’t) and gets food before his friends and just hides in the Gryffindor Tower. Hell, he even begs the Fat Lady to change the password. (She does, but not without a withering stare.)

The first two days are weird. At first, Charles is completely distraught but as soon as Jake orders (begs) him to drop it, he’s silent on the issue. Well, sometimes he whimpers whenever Amy’s name is mentioned but otherwise he’s good.

Gina, on the other hand, doesn’t even question it. The only sign of life he gets from her is her looking up from her phone, her eyes narrowing, then looking back down.

Terry and Sharon are actually not PDAing at all around him, like it would make him uncomfortable when before they never cared. It’s like they’re worried he’s fragile.

Rosa glares at him every chance, but he didn’t expect less. He honestly figured she’d beat him up every chance she had, but mostly she ignores him.

Amy tries to approach him multiple times, but he just books it away from her. Unfortunately, she catches on pretty quickly and leaves him alone.

The weirdest thing over the course of the week is the fact that Headmaster Holt calls him into his office that goes something like this: “Peralta, you are not going to some of your classes. Is everything okay?” “Yep.” (very long pause where the Headmaster just stared at him and Jake got increasingly uncomfortable) “Very well. Dismissed.”

He’s not entirely sure _why_ that happened, but it was both terrifying and oddly nice. Basically, like all of his interactions with Headmaster Holt ever.

It all get worse during potions class, when Hitchcock and Scully (who are the joint professors since no one trusts them to be competent on their own) let students sniff some Amortentia, which is this apparently-intense love potion.

The moment it goes downhill for him is when he smells it, and realizes it smells like candy, his mom’s apartment, and Amy’s body soap (which is like blackberries and sugar).

So, basically, it’s been a really shitty week.

+

The night before the dance, Jake is lazying around his bedroom, where he spends most of his time now. Suddenly, Charles’s owl Alumette hits the window.

Jake walks over and gets the note from the owl. He feels like Alumette is judging him with her big brown eyes, so he turns his back to her as he reads it.

_Dear Jake,_

_I need your help. Can you meet me in the library as soon as possible? If not I COMPLETELY understand._

_Thank you,_

_Your friend Charles, from class_

Jake throws on his sweatpants, shoes, wand, and a t-shirt, and gets down to the library as quickly as he can. The nicer Charles is about needing help, the more desperately he needs it.

It’s a Friday night, so the library is practically empty. “Boyle?” Jake calls, not even bothering with the Whisper-in-the-library rule as he walks through the stacks. “Charles?!”

He rounds a corner and bumps into someone. He whips out his wand in a flash but then he sees who it is in the candlelight.

It’s Amy, holding out her arms in a slight surrender like she doesn’t want him to do anything with that wand. More importantly, she’s wearing a shiny bright blue dress with gemstones on it that makes her look like a mermaid. But like the pretty, beautiful ones in muggle stories that Gina loved to make him read with her, not the evil ones he grew up hearing about in history of Magic.

He lowers his wand, then pockets it, “A-Amy? What’s going on?” He looks around slightly as if to see if there’s a written explanation floating around somewhere.

She exhales slowly, like she’s psyching herself up. “I’m- I needed to talk to you.”

He looks at the dress again. It’s so shiny, like dragon scales. “What in Merlin’s name are you wearing?”

Not that it looks bad on her. In fact, she looks amazing. It’s just so different than the normal, solid-print blouses and slacks she wears under her robes. This is shiny and tight and... amazing.

“I let Gina dress me,” She says as an explanation, except that literally makes him more confused.

He just raises an eyebrow, and she laughs a little before explaining, “You won the bet, Peralta. And...” She takes a deep breath again, “even if you didn’t win, I’d still want to go with you.”

“I- what? What now?” Jake rubs at his face like that might wake him up. No, this appears to be real. “What about Teddy?”

Amy shrugs, “I think, and he agrees, that we’re better off as friends. He’s not really my type.”

Jake is now the one gulping down his nervousness, “Um... What is your type?”

Her face goes bright red and starts to ramble, “Well... I like funny guys, you know someone who makes me laugh. If they play Quidditch, especially chase, that’s a plus. If they tackle me during snowball fights-”

Before he can even comprehend completely what he’s doing, Jake surges forward and cups her face to kiss her.

Her arms go around to hold his shoulders and she’s immediately kissing back. Before any of it can deepen, he starts hearing familiar, exuberant weeping.

With a slight laugh, they pull away. “Charles?” Jake checks, not willing to look away from the awed, amused and pleased look on Amy’s face.

“Ugh Charles, you ruined my take, this was gonna go _viral_ ,” Gina’s voice insists, and all of a sudden their library row is surrounded by their friends.

“What’s going on?” Jake asks, moving his hands from Amy’s face down to her shoulders. Her hands fall to his torso, and they warm him in the best way.

“You were being a fuckass,” Rosa says, as matter-of-factly as Rosa gets. “And we were fed up.”

“Your relationship just needed a push,” Terry says, “And, since Terry loves romance and considers himself a friend, we wanted to help.”

Jake smiles, while also blushing a bit. “I guess I appreciate it?”

“You better, Boy Wizard,” Gina says, “This required extensive planning on my part.”

Amy rolls her eyes, “You did practically nothing.”

“Any effort on my part is extensive,” Gina gestures to herself and throws glitter around her.

Any retort (or questions as to where she was carrying the glitter) is interrupted by Charles sniffling as he finally gets ahold of himself. “This is just so beautiful. How was the kiss you guys?” He suddenly turns exuberant. “Can you rate it for me? Like on a scale of one to ten? Or maybe in stars, how many stars out of-”

“Let’s let the young couple be,” Sharon interrupts, sending a quick smile Jake and Amy’s way as she guides the others away from their library row.

Jake dramatically falls to one knee, only slightly wincing on the harsh rock of the library, “Amaranta Maria Nila Santiago,” He says, a flourish in every tone that puts a warm smile on her face, “Will you go to the Springtime Flowers Dance with me?”

Amy takes his hand and pulls him up. “I will, happily. Now can we snog in here for a bit?”

“Like I’m gonna say no to that,” And with that, they’re kissing again. Finally.

+

To Jake’s utter glee, Amy does wear the Mermaid Dress to the Dance. He did offer to let her wear whatever she wanted, because he likes to think he’s not a total slimeball, but she told him she actually found the dress Gina found for her really comfy and cute. So, basically, it was a win for everyone.

They walk arm-in-arm into the Grand Hall, and some people (mostly their close friends) applaud their arrival. If he looks slightly beyond the sea of students, he can see Headmaster Holt saluting him with a glass of punch. Jake smiles to himself, and keeps walking with Amy to their friends.

They’re all standing in the general vicinity. Terry and Sharon are dancing slowly to the fast-paced song, both dressed casual but nice. Charles and Genevieve (who nicely came in for the dance) are feeding each other desserts and giggling to themselves and dressed very fancy. Rosa and Adrian (only slightly surprising Jake) are making out against a nearby wall. The only one missing is Gina, who is dancing up onstage in true Gina fashion.

“Don’t you guys look adorable,” Terry says, dancing himself and Sharon over. Amy blushes and turns into Jake a bit more. “Terry is happy for you guys.”

“Thanks, Terry, I’m happy too,” Jake says, squeezing Amy’s hand slightly. She squeezes back.

“This is all I’ve ever dreamed about,” Charles says romantically, and then turns to Genevieve, “And having you be here as well is an even better reality.” He grabs her hand and kisses it gently and Genevieve grins with a slight blush on her face.

Rosa pulls away from Adrian, “You four are disgusting,” She says with no malice.

Amy gives her a look, “You’re snogging in the middle of the Grand Hall.”  
Rosa raises an eyebrow, “And?” And goes right back into kissing Adrian, who looks happy to do so.

Amy sighs, but she’s still smiling. She looks up at Jake, “Want me to step on your toes?”

“Absolutely, darling,” He guides her deeper into the dancing crowd and they sway. They both go to speak but then they hear a familiar nasally voice clear their throat into the microphone.

“Attention, students,” Gina says, taking over the microphone. “I would just like to say that even though they’re both lame, that I think it’s awesome that Amy Santiago and Jake Peralta have finally sorted their shit out and are now in heart emojis with each other. I don’t really care if you don’t know who they are. Enjoy dancing, but not as well as me,” She turns away from the microphone and throws them a thumbs up.

Jake looks down to see that Amy is blushing, and decides he wants to make it a bit worse, but hopefully in a good way, “I just realized I never officially asked you to be my girlfriend.” He doesn’t remember doing it over the course of their _hot and heavy_ snogging last night.

He watches her think this over. “You’re right,” She says, smiling a little. “You might want to get on that.”

“Want me to get on one knee?” He asks, only slightly wincing when she steps on his toes.

She tries and fails to hide a smile, “Not necessary.”

“Fine, I can do it standing,” He clears his throat and says dramatically but completely sincerely, “Amy, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?”

She beams, “Absolutely, as long as you’ll be my boyfriend.” With that, he nods and goes to kiss her.

“No lips touching on the dance floor,” Headmaster Holt says, appearing out of nowhere and looking at them both with a mature stare.

“Of course not, sir,” Amy says, jumping back. Jake bites back an exasperated sigh, but continues to dance with her.

“Is this what it’s going to be like, dating a goody-two shoes?” Jake wonders aloud.

Amy shrugs, “Does that bother you?”

“Not at all,” Jake holds her a bit tighter and whispers in her ear, “Wanna get out of here?”

“Absolutely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not 100% sure about this chapter, but I’m traveling soon and wanted this done before I’m gone for over five weeks (eep). Plus, I was just dying for these wacky kids to get together.


	11. All was Well

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake skids to a stop in front of her on his broom. “Hey, Santiago.”
> 
> Amy glares at him, “Don’t distract me, Peralta.”
> 
> He grins a wicked grin, “It’s just an end-of-the-year scrimmage. Why do you even want to win?”
> 
> She raises an eyebrow, “What if I told you it involved a bet with Rosa?”
> 
> Jake frowns, “It better not involve her being your date at some point. Nay, at any point.”
> 
> “It’s about summer plans,” Amy says. “Your jealousy is unnecessary but noted.”
> 
> “My jealousy is adorable but you know it,” He fires back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG BUT I LOST ALL INSPIRATION BUT I HOPE THIS TIES UP ALL LOOSE ENDS!!! PLEASE ENJOY!! (Also this is like all Amy's POV so enjoy!)

(A few months later)

Amy can barely hear Charles’s frantic narration of the game over the sound of her own heart beating like a hammer against her throat. She’s not sure why she’s panicking, it’s just a scrimmage.

But that’s just how she plays. Passionate, intense, take-no-prisoners.

Her eyes are locked on the quaffle, getting tossed from teammate to teammate near the other goal posts.

Jake skids to a stop in front of her on his broom. “Hey, Santiago.”

Amy glares at him, “Don’t distract me, Peralta.” 

He grins a wicked grin, “It’s just an end-of-the-year scrimmage. Why do you even want to win?” 

She raises an eyebrow, “What if I told you it involved a bet with Rosa?”

Jake frowns, “It better not involve her being your date at some point. _Nay_ , at any point.” 

“It’s about summer plans,” Amy says. “Your jealousy is unnecessary but noted.”

“My jealousy is adorable but you know it,” He fires back. Amy rolls her eyes with a smile.

But when she does, Rosa zooms past her and dunks the quaffle through the goalposts.

Amy gasps as Rosa cheers, turning to Jake in shock when she sees his “oops-I-did-a-thing” face. The small crowds and the mish-mashed teams of various houses cheer and whistle.

“What did you do?” Amy starts approaching him on her broom, encroaching upon him like a lioness stalking her prey (maybe she has a bit of Gryffindor in her).

“What are _any_ of us really doing?” He lies poorly, trying to fly backwards. It’s working about as well as his lying at this point.

“He volunteered to help me if it meant him switching places with me,” Rosa says, flying over. “You’re cool, Santiago, but I don’t want to spend a weekend with your family. Peralta should do it since he’s your boytoy.”

Amy huffs and crosses her arms, then wobbles before she regains balance. “You could have just told me you weren’t interested in actually coming instead of getting Jake to help you win.”

Rosa is unrepentant, “Where’s the fun in that?”

Amy sighs, one of the pitfalls of your best friend being a Slytherin. She turns back to Jake, “And _you_ could have told me you wanted to visit.” 

“But where’s the fun in that?” Jake tries to copy, his awkwardness not working as well as Rosa’s badassness. He exhales, “Fine, I was nervous to ask.” 

“Okay then, I’ll ask,” Amy says without thinking. She panics, even though Jake looks pleased with the idea. “I mean, well you’re my boyfriend- and like- Rosa said, no-”

“Just ask, babe.”

It’s almost like he bewitched the word _babe_ , it calms her right down. “Jake, will you come visit my family during Summer Hols?”

He bows, then almost falls off his broom. With the both of them of them laughing, he says, “Yes, Yes I will.”

They smile at each other.

Jake continues, “You know, I’ve never tried to make-out on one of these things.”

Amy looks down at their height, and the masses of people walking down the steps to leave the silly game.

“I guess we can give it a shot,” She says with a shrug and flies over so their brooms are directly parallel.

With one hand on his broom, Jake reaches over with the other hand to cup her face. She does the same, her hand closer to his neck because she is just inexplicably attracted to his neck.

At the same time, they lean over  

+

Later that night, when the sun has set and the professors have turned a blind eye, she sits on the grassy Quidditch field with Jake, Charles, Rosa, Gina, and Terry (since Sharon left early to visit her parents). They’re all warm and tipsy on Gina’s smuggled Beetle Berry whiskey.

Amy knows her nice shirt is gonna get grass stains, but she can’t find herself to really care. Especially since she’s nestled up with Jake and surrounded by her close friends. Things feel so right in this moment.

“Did you hear they’re bringing back the Triwizard tournament?” Terry says.

“Bullshit,” Gina says. “Holt wouldn’t allow anything that 'proliferated' rivalry.”

“I heard from Genevieve that Maxime would be holding a summit to bring reinstate it and that Holt was invited,” Charles says.

“But that doesn’t mean he’ll say yes,” Rosa points out.

“I’d never be able to put my name in,” Terry says. “Terry hates feuding.”

“I totes-ally would,” Jake says, then leans up, “Gina, did I say that right?” 

“Never speak again.” 

“Okay fine, I’ll try again. ‘I totes-oat-ly-’” 

“Stop.”

“I totally would,” Jake says, giving up. Amy giggles. He pokes her temple, and continues, “Gryffindors are built for that shit.”

“I’d kick your ass,” Rosa says.

“Do I smell a bet-” 

“No.”

“Fine,” Jake says indignantly, then turns to Amy. “Will we still have ridiculous bets even though we’re dating and stuff and you’re in Muggle London and I’m in Wizard London and stuff?”

She snorts then sips more of the whiskey, “Duh. And I will win every single one.”

“Five-Drink Amy rears her head,” Gina says and tugs the bottle from her. Amy pouts. “Jake, control your woman.”

“I don’t want to be stupefied,” Jake says.

She pats his stomach. She loves his stomach, so squishy and perfect. Rosa cackles, and Amy figures she might have said that out loud.

Gina kicks her head back and groans, “Ugh, can you two romantic babies shut up already? Your true love is harshing my buzz.”

“Fine, I’ll take the bright witch home,” Jake says, scrambling to his feet like a newborn unicorn. “C’mon, babe.”

“But I’m _fine_ , I could totally fly a straight line right now,” Amy slurs out.

Jake snorts as he wraps an arm around her waist, “Don’t make me hex you.”

Amy scoffs, “Like you could.”

She senses he rolls his eyes more than sees him (because things are so blurry). “You’re a good boyfriend,” She tells him matter-of-factly.

“I know, I’m amazing,” He kisses her cheek. “C’mon, girlfrand, let’s get you back to the tower.”

Jake walks her off the field, with Terry shouting, “Good luck solving the Ravenclaw Riddle sloshed, Peralta!”

+

Amy takes a deep breath, reading and re-reading the same line in one of her textbooks (for next semester.) “Are you nervous?” Jake asks, causing her to jolt up from her studies.

“Hmm? What? No. What? What makes you say that?” She demands.

He gives her his practically-patented “you’re acting crazy” look, with an undertone of fondness as he moves over to sit beside her rather than across from her in the train car they’re sharing. “You’re muttering under your breath as you’re reading. ‘Reading is a silent time for Santiagos,’” He recites, smirking slightly, then it falls. “I don’t have to meet your family, if that’s what you’re freaking out about.”

Amy exhales and turns to him, “I want you to meet them. And I want them to meet you.” The grin is back. “I’m just nervous. My family is a _lot_ -”

“I’m a Gryffindor, Ames,” He says definitively. “I am 100% for doing this, and I will handle this well. I’ve sat through all your quizzing and know what topics to avoid. All of your family will love me by the end of tonight.”

She smiles. “Oh really? What makes you so sure?”

He grabs her hand, “Because I have you by my side.”

Amy feels a blush light up her neck, so she fights it off by saying, “That was totally cheesy.” 

His eyebrows waggle. “I know, but you like it.” He scoots closer. 

“I like you,” She says.

“How could you not?” He says.

“Jake!” She huffs, mostly because she’s trying not to laugh.

“I like you too,” He grabs her hand in his, their fingers lacing together, and he hmms as he twists their hands, flipping them over repeatedly. “I like you so much.”

“I like you so much too.” The word ‘love’ seems so close but so far away, but she doesn’t think they’re ready for it yet. But they have all the time in the world. “And my family will like you too.”

He takes a deep breath too, and then he turns to her in panic. “Should I be wearing a tie?”

“Jake, you are wearing a tie.” 

He looks down, then exhales. “Okay. Great, officially Boyfriend Material.” Then he pokes at the air. “MT.”

“It’s TM,” She corrects then pecks his lips, “You’re a dork.”

“A dork you’re dating.”

She just flicks his shoulder, but she probably will never stop liking the way he always brings it up.

+

Amy sits in her bed, thoroughly exhausted but elated with how the day ended up going. Her parents _loved_ Jake. Her brother Diego was a bit of a tool at first, but he took to her boyfriend quickly after they expressed an affinity for American Basketball (the Nets, specifically).  

Even though she wanted Jake to be calm, she was a bit worried. Her parents had never expected their daughter to be a witch, much less to have a wizard boyfriend to bring home. Plus, Diego has never met a boyfriend of hers before (mostly because she’s never _really_ had one before Jake) so she gave him a bit of a curve. Especially since he had to act on behalf of all their other brothers who couldn’t be there to meet him.

Her mom and dad handled the whole thing completely well, even when Jake swore wizard swears when he burned his fingers on the cookie pan and when Amy and Jake told fun stories at Hogwarts that they didn’t fully understand but were enthusiastic about anyway. Jake even explained how Quidditch worked to her dad who had never been able to grasp it before.

After a big dinner and a fun round of three-way War with Jake, Diego and herself, they all retired to bed.

Well, Diego had made plans to go to a concert and then crash at a friend’s, which worked well so Jake could sleep in his room instead.

It’s 10 o’clock at night (wait, no, 20:15 or something she _will_ get this) and she should be asleep, but she has all this energy she doesn’t know how to handle. She’s about to go back to reading the textbook she read on the train, but then her door clicks open.

A habit, she goes for her wand that she keeps under her mattress when she’s at home, and she’s about to utter “stupefy,” her favorite spell, when she sees the familiar fluffy haired-silhouette of her boyfriend.

“Jake,” She hisses. “What are you doing?”

“I’m seeing my girlfriend, what does it look like?” He says just as hushed. He closes and locks her door behind him and stands before her.

“It looks like you’re trying to get my brother and father to beat you up today,” She says with a smile, illuminated by her bedside reading lamp.

Jake shudders, “Let’s hope not.”

“What are you doing? Actually,” Amy asks, giving him a look.

“I dunno,” He shuffles his feet slightly, wearing a pair of guest slippers her family always has on hand. “I was feeling all...” He trails off then waves his fingers in front of his chest, like he was playing charades and trying to act out _heart attack_ . “And, well, you fix that so I figured I’d say hi.” 

She tries to smother a smile, but she’s touched. “Hi,” She says softly.

“Hi,” He says back with a similar smile.

“I was feeling-” She makes the same gesture. “Too. I was going to read.”

“Like a true Ravenclaw nerd.” 

“Oh, was I supposed to sneak into your bedroom like a Gryffindor idiot?” She teases.

Jake nods, “Yes. Definitely.”

She kicks at his ankles since they’re right in front of her feet.

He smiles at her again, then clears his throat. “I’m not trying to pressure you but wouldn’t it be a _challenge_ to try to keep quiet as we snog in your bedroom-” 

Before the sentence is completely, she’s pulling him down by his ratty t-shirt to her. From the sudden surge, he falls on her, quickly bracing himself on her squeaky bed.

He pulls his lips from hers for a second, just an inch or so away, and whispers softly, “We’re doing a terrible job so far.”

“Guess we just have to practice,” She whispers back and kisses him again.

And there she was, snogging her Gryffindor, pureblood boyfriend who’s just as stubborn and competitive as she is, who calms her down and works her up and makes her feel warm in all the best ways.

All is well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I wholeheartedly apologize for taking forever with wrapping this up. I hope this chapter makes up for it. I'd like to thank all of you for sticking with this story, and also specifically @smolsamberg on Tumblr for inspiring me to finish this!


End file.
